Undying Love
by denise.mesquivel
Summary: This is a fan-fic of the Naruto Shippuuden Series, which I do not own. I incorporate the anime plot into this story and also add my own twists to make it exciting. It starts off before Pain's invasion of Konoha. Follow my character Denizu into the Naruto series into romance, suspense, action, and humor when reuniting with my love, Kakashi Hatake.
1. Chapter 1

Part One

It's quiet out. I walk through the dark woods in the cold, windy night. My silky, black, layered hair shines in the moon light with a glint of blue. The breeze causes my hair to brush against my light skin. I hear the clinking of my katana in its strap case that's over my shoulder. I kick a small pebble in my path some feet in front of me. A leaf flutters in the cool breeze in front of me as I stop in my tracks. A dark figure is standing some ten feet in front of me, facing my direction. I examine the tall, dark figure and see that it is a man. His black cloak with red cloud designs covers nearly his entire body and a large bandaged sword is settled on his back. Only his head is revealed: his dark blue hair is styled into a messy, spiky hair style with a headband of the Hidden Mist Village - a scratch across the symbol on the metal plate. His light blue skin fascinates me, along with his gill-like markings on his face. With his small circular eyes, he gazes at me with a devilish smirk.

"You're part of the Akatsuki, are you not?" I ask.

"Yes, I happen to be," the man answers with his slight smirk. "You've encountered a few of us before, am I right?"

"I have, multiple times, but I haven't encountered you nor your friend before."

The man smirks widely. A plant-like figure begins to emerge out of a tree that's a few feet away from the blue skinned man. The plant-like figure morphs into a green-haired man in an Akatsuki cloak. He appears to be inside a large plant; the left side of his face is white while the other is black. He walks up next to the blue skinned man in a slow pace.

"She seems to have sensed your presence," the blue skinned man says to the other.

"She was aware of our presence before we even stopped her," the plant-like man says. "After all, she is a skillful Uchiha."

The blue skinned man turns to me with an interested grin.

"Ah, yes. Denizu Uchiha," he says.

"What do you want from me?" I ask.

"As you know, we're from the Akatsuki," the blue skinned man answers. "My name is Kisame Hoshigaki, and this is my partner Zetsu. We've come to you with an offer to join the Akatsuki."

'Kisame Hoshigaki,' I think to myself. 'S-rank missing-nin from Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. He means business...'

I eye him sternly.

"Your other colleagues have come to me with that same offer multiple times before," I reply in anger. "If I refused those first times, what makes you think I want to accept now?"

"The past times, you met with two of my other colleagues with just the offer," Kisame says. "This time, because you've refused..." he says as he puts his hand inside his cloak. "We're going to have to take you by force."

Suddenly, two halves of Zetsu appear on my left and my right and are emerging from the ground, holding me down firmly. Kisame then pulls his hand out of his cloak and throws multiple small black pellets at me, and they explode. A cloud of grey smoke covers the spot where Zetsu's halves and I were standing. Kisame watches with a smirk as the smoke begins to clear.

"Sleeping gas will only work if you actually hold me down," I mutter into Kisame's right ear.

He is surprised and quickly attempts to elbow me in the face. I quickly evade it, block his punch, and aim to kick him in his chest. He is able to barely block it with his forearms, and jumps back a few feet where Zetsu is standing.

"She's very fast...It was a replacement jutsu... " Kisame says. "Leader never said she was going to be easy to capture, did he?"

"She's from the Uchiha clan; what did you expect?" Zetsu says.

I activate my Sharingan and perform a few hand signs and hold a closed hand in front of my mouth. Many fire balls shoot out toward Zetsu and Kisame. They are alarmed and quickly begin to dodge them. Kisame reaches into his pouch and takes out a few shuriken. He flings them at me at high speeds. I bend backward into a backflip, dodging all of them. I then sense many of Zetsu's white halves appearing from the ground and attempting to get a hold of me. I quickly dodge their grasps and begin to punch and kick many of them. More and more begin to appear, so I take my katana out from its strap case and begin to swipe them. One comes at me from behind, so I turn to slice through it with my katana. Another comes at me from my left, but I quickly slice through that one. I begin to notice that more and more keep appearing the more I fight. Thinking quickly, I put my katana away, jump high in the air, perform some hand signs, hold my right hand to my mouth, and breathe out a huge stream of fire. All of the Zetsu clones are consumed in fire and melt away. I land on my feet and look up. Sensing something from behind, I jump up high in the air again. Flipping my body around, I see that Kisame has attempted to tackle me from behind.

'He's pretty fast,' I think to myself. 'I'm going to have to be careful; I shouldn't underestimate them.'

I land on my feet again and quickly sprint toward Kisame. He is surprised at my swiftness as I reach him in a blink of an eye. He attempts to throw a punch at me, but I block it. I quickly knee him hard in the stomach, causing him to flinch back. I grab him by the collar of his cloak and pull him forward into my balled up fist, punching him straight in the face. He falls on to his back, rolling on his sides a few times. I take a large paper bomb from one of my pouches, tie it around the handle of a kunai, and impale it in the ground a few feet in front of him. I quickly jump away and land on a tree branch and watch as the paper bomb explodes, causing a large cloud of smoke to surround the area Kisame is in. I then turn around, sensing a presence, and see Zetsu standing on the ground nearby. I give him a glare and take a hold of my katana's handle.

"I'm not going to fight you," Zetsu says. "I'm only going to elaborate on my leader's offer."

I keep my grasp on my katana's handle and watch him carefully.

"My leader obviously thinks your skills are powerful and quite impressive," Zetsu says. "You can be an excellent addition to the Akatsuki. We know that you are from the Konoha - the village that had your clan slaughtered."

I continue to sternly gaze down at him.

"We can help you take vengeance," Zetsu continues. "The Akatsuki plans on invading Konoha soon. My leader wishes you to be a part of it. Join the Akatsuki, and you will find justice for your clan."

I sense Kisame's presence and quickly turn to his direction, pulling out my katana. He is about to charge at me from a tree branch some ten feet away.

"Kisame, that's enough," Zetsu commands.

Kisame stops on a tree branch with a confused and irritated face and gazes down at Zetsu.

"What's the deal? Why aren't you letting me finish with her?" Kisame asks in anger.

"I have left Denizu with the proposal and a reason to consider it. We shall leave now and prevent any more damage from being done."

Zetsu turns to me and I gaze down at him.

"We hope you accept the offer. We'll find you some other time," Zetsu says. "Kisame, let's leave."

Zetsu begins to merge into the ground slowly. I turn my attention to Kisame and see that he's giving me a smirk.

"Maybe we'll continue some other time," he says as he holds up a hand sign.

He disappears in a puff of smoke. I stand on the tree branch, holding my katana in my hand. I stare at the ground in contemplation.

'I have to get to Konoha as soon as possible...' I think to myself.


	2. Chapter 2

Part Two

It's been two days since my encounter with Zetsu and Kisame of the Akatsuki. I have only stopped at nearby towns to get quick meals and quick rests here and there. I couldn't risk the possibility of encountering another one of the Akatsuki members; getting to Konoha as soon as possible is my main priority.

It's some time in the late afternoon. I am jumping from tree branch to tree branch at a high speed. The air prevents my hair from touching my face because of how fast I am going. I hear the whizzing of the wind as I quickly jump through the air. Spotting a large bush under some shade, I land behind it. I crouch a bit and peer through a small space of leaves in the bush. The gates of Konoha are open; two men are standing at the entrance.

'I don't have any form of identification on me...' I think to myself. 'I doubt they know much about me, especially after the incident...'

I continue to watch the men at the entrance.

'I have to enter and see the Hokage no matter what.'

I stand up and place the black hood of my shirt over my head to conceal my face. I walk onto the trail and head toward the entrance. After walking some feet, I reach the large gates. The two men guarding see me coming and walk toward me. They both stop me just a few feet from passing the gates.

"Excuse me miss, we need to see some sort of identification," one of the men with short dark hair and a beard asks me.

'It's Riichi and Hamaki Mimura...' I think to myself, holding back a smile.

I keep my gaze down, concealing half of my face in the shadow of my hood. They look at me with wonder and come closer.

"Miss, are you all right?" Riichi asks, the man with long brown hair.

I activate my Sharingan, and look into their eyes. They both gasp in surprise as their eyes widen before collapsing on the ground.

"I'm very sorry," I say to them. "You'll only be paralyzed until I'm far enough from you both."

I quickly take off into a sprint. I reach some alleys and begin to run through them in an effort to avoid being seen. Suddenly, an alarm is set off that's heard all over.

'They've sounded the alarm...' I think to myself. 'It won't be long until familiar jonin come after me.'

I jump on top of a roof and look all around the village. I spot some shinobi already running around, as well as the village people running around in panic.

'Now where is the Hokage's building...' I think to myself as I glance over the village.

I spot the familiar mountain carved with the faces of the Hokage and take a moment to look at who the current one is. I spot the building next to the mountain carvings.

"Hey! You there!" I hear a voice call out to me from behind.

I turn toward the voice and am surprised to see a man in a green jumpsuit with a jonin vest over it. His long orange socks reach up to his knees. I look at his familiar face.

'Might Guy,' I think to myself.

"Ya don't happen to be the intruder that's wandering around, do ya?" Guy says jokingly. "To avoid any trouble and not hurt a lady like yourself, I'd suggest you let me turn you in."

'That voice hasn't changed much...' I think to myself with a sweat drop. 'And neither have those eye brows...'

"Did I make myself clear?" Guy asks again.

I slowly look up at him and open my eyes, revealing my Sharingan. He freezes up and his eyes widen in surprise as he grits his teeth. He then collapses on the roof.

"Sorry, Guy. I don't mean to hurt you," I say before making a run for it.

I begin to quickly jump from rooftop to rooftop. I sense the presence of many shinobi searching close by, so I leap down into any alley. I stop and lean against the wall of a building as I hear ninja run by.

"Hiding from us, I believe?" I hear a familiar voice say from behind me.

'That voice...' I think to myself. 'I know that voice...'

I slowly turn around with my gaze to the ground. I slowly look up with my eyes while keeping my head down, not wanting to reveal my face with the light. In complete shock, I examine the man in the jonin vest standing a few feet behind me.

'His silver spiky hair tilted to the side is the same...' I think to myself. 'That mask covering half of his face is the same...'

I see that he has his Sharingan eye revealed.

"I don't normally have my Sharingan eye revealed," he says. "But judging from the way you took Guy down, you're obviously one to be cautious of."

'Kakashi...' I think to myself.

I stand there in silence. He does the same.

"I'm sorry," I say loud enough for him to hear.

He is a bit surprised at my statement. I then look up at him with my Sharingan activated. His eyes widen a bit in surprise. He suddenly begins to have flashbacks as he looks into my Sharingan eyes. Images of him and me when we were younger appear in his head. Memories of us walking together along a path while holding hands plays through his head. The images suddenly stop and he collapses on his knees slowly before falling on the ground. I slowly turn around to make a run for it.

"Denizu..." I hear him say with struggle.

I resist the urge of turning around and helping him, and I continue to run to the direction of the Hokage's office.

'It must be shocking for him to see me...here...alive...' I think to myself.

I quickly reach the Hokage's building. I look up and see a window open at the top. Concentrating chakra on the bottom of my feet, I begin to run up the wall. I reach the open window and crouch on the sill. I look inside and see that no one is there. I quickly climb in and head over to a desk with piles of paper and books scattered about. I look down at the papers and see "Hokage Signature Needed" on a few of them.

"This has to be the Hokage's desk..." I whisper to myself.

I hear the door creak open. I quickly turn around and see a blonde-haired woman wearing a green long-sleeved top with a grey shirt underneath. She gives me a surprised and confused stare. Another woman with short dark hair walks in behind her and gasps.

"Ma Lady!" she says as she steps in front of the blonde-haired woman with a kunai in her hand. "This must be the intruder! Stay back!"

"You must be Konoha's Hokage," I say.

"Yes, I am," the blonde-haired woman asks. "Lady Tsunade."

"I mean no harm," I say. "I come only with information about the Akatsuki."

Tsunade looks at me in surprise.

"How can we know to trust you?" the dark haired woman asks.

I then hear someone come in from the window. A man wearing a jonin vest and with dark spiky hair and glasses appears at the window.

"Lady Tsunade!" he says as he charges at me with a kunai.

"Aoba, hold back!" Tsunade orders.

Aoba obeys and stops a few feet away from me, holding a kunai ready in his hand. I look at Aoba and take a moment to recognize him.

"How can I know I can trust you with what you told me?" Tsunade asks.

I turn to her and give her a look of comprehension. I take my hood off and close my eyes. They look at me in wonder. I look up at them as I open my eyes, revealing my Sharingan. Both of them look at me with wide eyes and gasp.

"I-Impossible..." Tsunade says in disbelief. "There were only two Uchihas who survived the murder."

"Now please, let me give you information on the Akatsuki," I say.

"Can we really trust her?" the dark haired woman asks again.

"Shizune, stand down," Tsunade says.

"But Ma Lady, we can't just trust her because of her Sharingan!" Shizune says. "It gives us more reason to be cautious of her!"

"If she was an enemy, she would have killed many of us with the Sharingan by now," I hear a familiar voice say.

I turn my gaze slightly toward the open window and see Kakashi climbing through it with Guy climbing in after him.

"She doesn't mean any harm; she was part of this village," Kakashi continues.

"What do you mean?" Shizune asks in confusion.

"Denizu Uchiha..." Kakashi says. "She was a shinobi here in the village."

Guy and Aoba look at him in shock.

"But...that's impossible. Denizu died when she was kidnapped by Orochimaru..." Aoba says in disbelief.

I stare down at the ground, remembering my time with Orochimaru. Kakashi stares at me, understanding why I am looking down.

"I remember hearing about you..." Tsunade says, interrupting my thoughts.

She walks up to me and puts a hand on my left shoulder.

"Orochimaru kidnapped you for your Sharingan and your abilities..." Tsunade says to me. "You're not an enemy - you're a victim. It's amazing you've made it this far."

I look at her without my Sharingan activated. She sees this as a sign of trust and smiles.

"I need everyone but Shizune to leave this office, now," Tsunade demands. "We need to speak to Denizu privately. Call off the search for the intruder."

Guy and Aoba nod. Aoba disappears in a puff of smoke. Guy is about to disappear in a puff of smoke as well, but looks at Kakashi. He sees that Kakashi is staring at me with a look of disbelief.

"You'll get to talk to her when she's finished with Lady Tsunade," Guy whispers as he puts a hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

Kakashi snaps out of it and looks at Guy. He nods and they both take their leave toward the window. Guy jumps out first, and Kakashi prepares to do so as well. Before jumping out, he takes one last glance at me and leaves. Tsunade walks over to her desk and sits on the chair. Shizune gets a chair for me and sets it down in front of the desk. I take my seat as Shizune takes another chair and sets it down for herself.

"Now please, tell me what you know about Akatsuki," Tsunade says.

"The only way I can assure you to believe me is that I show you through my Sharingan," I say in a calm tone.

"How don't we know you're a part of Akatsuki and trying to hurt Lady Tsunade?" Shizune asks.

"Please, it's the only way I know you can trust me," I say in a pleading voice.

Shizune looks at Tsunade in question. Tsunade examines me with her hands folded in front of her mouth. I look at her with the utmost anxious face.

"Please, show me what you know," Tsunade finally says.

"Ma Lady, are you sure?" Shizune asks.

"It's like Kakashi said," Tsunade says. "It's clear that she's very skilled. She would have killed a few of us a while ago."

I look at her in surprise and then give her a small warm smile.

"Proceed with showing," Tsunade says to me.

I nod and and prepare myself. I activate my Sharingan and look her straight in the eyes, and she looks deeply into mine. She begins to see images of me encountering Zetsu and Kisame in the forest. Images flash to them introducing themselves and then me fighting with them. Soon the images show Zetsu and I talking.

"The Akatsuki plans on invading Konoha soon," she sees Zetsu say to me.

After that, images of them leaving flash before Tsunade. She is then back in her office, holding her head in a bit of pain. Shizune looks at her with worry and puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you all right, Ma Lady?" Shizune asks.

"I'm sorry, but those who are not of Uchiha blood cannot withstand the feeling of Tsukyomi," I say. "I tried my best to prevent it from hurting you."

"It's all right, I understand," Tsunade says with a grimace. "This was needed in order for me to know exactly what went on with your encounter with two members of the Akatsuki."

Tsunade closes her eyes and sighs. She then looks up at me with a serious face.

"I need to take certain measures," she says. "We'll need to interrogate you and know as much as possible."

I give her a look of surprise but then nod in comprehension.

"Shizune, call in Inoichi Yamanaka to begin an interrogation session," Tsunade orders.

"Yes, Ma Lady!" Shizune says as she runs out of the room.

I keep my gaze down at the floor in contemplation, a bit worried at what might happen.

"Don't worry," Tsunade says as she puts a hand on my shoulder.

I'm surprised and look up at her. She looks down at me with an assuring look in her eyes.

"It will only be questions," she continues. "An Uchiha's mind is also difficult to read with the Sharingan and all."

She smiles down at me. My surprised expression turns into a calm one and returns the smile. The door is then opened. We turn to the door and see a tall, muscular man with long blond hair in a ponytail that reaches down his back. He looks at Tsunade and then at me with his blue eyes.

"You needed me, Lady Tsunade?" he asks.

"Yes, Inoichi, please take Denizu to your interrogation facility," Tsunade says. "We need to know as much about her as possible. Only question her; don't bring her into a mind reading session. I've given her my word that she won't be put under such measures."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Inoichi nods.

He turns toward three other men who come into the room and walk toward me. I stand up and they lead me to the door. Before leaving the room, I quickly turn to Tsunade and bow to her. She sees I am appreciative and nods. I let the men walk me out of the room, and they close the door behind us.

"She's loyal..." Shizune says. "Why?"

Tsunade leans on her desk and stares at the floor.

"She's a missing Konoha shinobi," Tsunade says. "Even after all of these years...she still remains loyal."


	3. Chapter 3

Part Three

Inoichi and the three men escort me through the village. People stare at us in wonder.

"Is she the intruder?" I hear some people ask out loud.

"I hope she doesn't cause any trouble," another person says.

"Please ignore their commentary and questions," Inoichi says to me. "They're just curious as to who the intruder is and are concerned about the safety of the village."

"I understand," I say to him. "It's good to be back home."

Inoichi turns to me with a look of surprise.

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"I lived here in Konoha many years ago," I reply as we continue to walk. "But you'll find out more once we get to the interrogation facility."

Inoichi looks at me in surprise and confusion as we continue to walk toward the interrogation facility. He then nods.

From afar, Kakashi stands on a rooftop, watching Inoichi and his men escort me through the village. Guy stands behind him watching as well.

"Looks like she's going to be interrogated," Guy says.

"Do you think they're going to use a mind reading method?" Kakashi asks as he continues to watch me and the men.

"I doubt it," Guy answers. "They wouldn't be walking so freely with her. She would have had some sort of cuffs around her wrists and that katana taken away from her."

Kakashi continues to stand there, appearing to ignore everything else except watching me walk with Inoichi and his men. Guy notices that Kakashi has not taken his eyes off of me.

"We'll find out about her soon," Guy says as he puts a hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

Kakashi doesn't say anything and just watches me enter the interrogation building.

"I know how mind blowing and unbelievable this is for you..." Guy says. "It is for me too. All of us who knew Denizu..."

Kakashi stands there in silence.

"We should go and see what's going on with her," Kakashi suggests.

Guy nods, and they both head for the interrogation building.

We stop outside a dark door in the building. Inoichi's men ask me for my weapons, and I cooperate with them. I walk into the dark room with Inoichi and two of his men. They lead me to a chair behind a table in the middle of the poorly lit room. I look at our reflection in the one-way mirror as I sit down on the chair. Inoichi sits on the chair across from me on the other side of the table. I place my hands on my thighs and sit up straight, looking at Inoichi in the eyes.

"Let us commence the questioning..." Inoichi says as he places his hands on the table. "What is your full name?"

"Denizu Uchiha," I answer him.

He and the other men in the room are a bit surprised.

"But only two survived the murder of the Uchiha clan," Inoichi says. "How can you be an Uchiha?"

I blink slowly and reveal my Sharingan eyes. Inoichi and his men look at me in disbelief.

"I'm aware that my clan was slaughtered years ago by an Uchiha who became a member of the Akatsuki," I say as I deactivate my Sharingan.

"Yes, Itachi Uchiha," Inoichi says. "Do you know anything about him."

"His family was close to mine," I say. "My family was the main branch in the Uchiha clan. I took Itachi under my wing when he was very young."

"I remember you now..." Inoichi says. "You were a prodigy of the Uchiha clan, perfecting your Sharingan at a very young age. You graduated from the academy at the top of your class when you were five years old and became a chunin a year later. You were promoted to jonin and later joined the ANBU squad when you were 15. You were an excellent ninja that was favored by the Fourth Hokage."

I then have memories of the death of the Fourth Hokage and the war that was fought during that time.

"You were kidnapped while on a mission in search of Orochimaru and Akatsuki," Inoichi says, interrupting my thoughts. "ANBU shinobi were sent to retrieve you. But there was an explosion that was said to have killed you and Orochimaru. It was believed that you died since your body was never found..."

I sit in silence, remembering that cold and rainy night.

"You were also orphaned when you were 9..." Inoichi says. "Am I correct?"

I look down at the table with a look of sadness and contemplation.

"Yes...My parents died fighting in the Third Shinobi World War..." I say. "My father Kohaku Uchiha and my mother Miyako Uchiha."

"They were highly skilled ninja of the Uchiha clan," Inoichi says. "It's no surprise you're their daughter. The Uchiha clan was devastated to know that the most skillful ninja of the main branch family had died after your presumed death."

"Let's get to the information I know about Akatsuki," I say almost interrupting Inoichi.

He takes this as a sign that I don't want to talk more about my past and nods.

"I know that Akatsuki plans on attacking Konoha soon," I say. "How soon I don't know, but knowing how Akatsuki works, it can be in a matter of days or months or even years."

"How do you know this?" Inoichi questions.

"Just a few nights ago, I ran into two members of the Akatsuki," I reply. "Zetsu and Kisame Hoshigaki; I hadn't met them before, but they are highly skilled ninja. They came to me with an offer of joining the Akatsuki. I had refused and ended up fighting them."

"How did you first come across Akatsuki?" Inoichi asks.

"When I was kidnapped by Orochimaru," I begin to explain. "It was the time he was a part of Akatsuki."

"What other information do you know about Akatsuki?"

"Because I only spent a few days with Orochimaru before being found by Konoha's ANBU ninja, I didn't get much information. Orochimaru didn't mention much about Akatsuki around me. It was also a long time ago, so I don't remember much. The main thing I know is about their plot to attack Konoha."

Inoichi stares at me for a moment in contemplation.

"I have already shown Lady Tsunade my encounter through my Sharingan's Tsukyomi," I say to him. "You can go to her if you wish to confirm all of this."

"No, it's all right, I believe you," Inoichi says. "It's just so...difficult to believe that after all these years, you managed to survive."

I look at him in surprise.

"I didn't know you on a personal level before your alleged death," he continues. "But I did know a lot about your skills and your family. The fact that we have one of the few remaining Uchiha, a highly skillful one at that, is just difficult to believe."

I continue to gaze at him with a bit of surprise.

"We'll leave it at that for now," Inoichi says as he gets up from the chair. "I'll inform Lady Tsunade more about you. We'll have to discuss your status here in the village; whether you're going to be a ninja again here in Konoha will be determined by Lady Tsunade."

"I understand," I say with a nod.

I stand up and follow Inoichi and his men out of the interrogation room and into the hallway.

"We'll have to find some ninja to escort you around the village," Inoichi says.

"You can leave that to us," I hear someone say from behind us.

We turn and see Guy walking out of the door where the see-through side of the one-way mirror of the interrogation room is. Right behind him is Kakashi walking out, turning his gaze at me. I am surprised to see him there, but then quickly look away, down at the floor. He notices this and feels a bit nervous.

"Kakashi and I will be escorting Denizu around the village," Guy says to Inoichi.

"Are you guys all right with that?" Inoichi asks.

"Of course. The three of us were good childhood friends," Guy says as he looks over at me.

"Denizu, are you all right with this?" Inoichi asks.

I look up at Guy with an unsure look. He sees this and gives me a smile. I'm a bit surprised at this, but then smile back warmly.

"I'm looking forward to catching up," I say to Guy.

Guy smiles at me and looks over at Inoichi.

"Well, it's settled then," Inoichi says. "You'll be with Guy and Kakashi until there is a decision made by Lady Tsunade. Your weapons will be returned afterward."

I nod. Inoichi and his men head for the exit of the building. Guy and I watch them as they leave and head in the direction of the Hokage's office.

"Before anything else..." I hear Guy say.

I turn to him in confusion, and to my surprise, I suddenly feel him embrace me in a tight hug.

"I can't believe that you're still alive!" Guy says with tears running down his eyes.

"Guy-I know, it's hard- to believe..." I say while trying hard to breathe.

"Do you have any idea how much we mourned for you?" Guy says as he looks me straight in the eyes.

He begins to shake me by the shoulders a bit as he wails and tears up. Kakashi then puts a hand on Guy's shoulder, causing Guy to stop shaking me and wailing. Guy turns to Kakashi with a questionable look.

"I think she'd tell us everything if you'd stop torturing her like this," Kakashi says.

Guy gives him a surprised look and then looks at me. My hair is messier than usual now and I'm rather shaken up by his grasp. Guy gasps in horror and hugs me again.

"I'm so sorry, Denizu!" he cries again. "I didn't mean to hurt you so much! I'm just so happy and confused right now!"

"It's all right, Guy," I say to him as I put my hand on his shoulder. "I understand why you're feeling that way."

I smile at his childishness, knowing that he hasn't changed much. My gaze then turns to Kakashi and I see that he is leaning against the wall, looking down at the floor in deep contemplation. I look at him with sadness in my eyes.

"I know who else will be so happy to see you," Guy says, interrupting my thoughts.

"Who?" I ask him with a confused look.

"She's going to be so happy, I know it!" Guy says as he grabs a hold of my wrist and leads me out of the building.

Kakashi follows and watches me as he walks behind us. He stares at me as Guy continues to torture me with his cries of happiness.

'I don't know how to approach you...' Kakashi thinks to himself in sadness as he continues to stare at me.


	4. Chapter 4

Part Four

Guy leads me in front of a three-floor apartment building. Kakashi follows close behind. Guy walks up to the steps of the entrance toward the doorbell speaker and presses a button, standing with his back facing us. I stand at the bottom of the steps with Kakashi on my left. I turn to him and see that he is staring down at the ground with a look of sadness. Knowing that it's very difficult for him to process me being here, I stand close next to him and take a gentle hold of his right wrist. He snaps out of his thoughts and looks at me with surprise. I smile warmly at him with my pitch black eyes, and he looks into them. There is a warm feeling between the two of us that causes us to slowly lean toward one another.

"Yes, who is it?" we hear a woman's voice say through the speaker.

This causes Kakashi and I to quickly back away from one another. I let go of his wrist and he is saddened by it.

"It's Guy! Kakashi and I have a surprise for you," Guy says into the speaker.

"All right, I'll buzz you guys in," the woman says.

After a second or two, the door buzzes and Guy opens it.

"Come on," Guy says to us as he motions us to follow.

Kakashi allows me to go up the stairs first. We walk into the apartment and head up the first flight of stairs. Guy walks up the stairs in front, while Kakashi and I walk side by side behind him. We follow Guy around a corner and walk up to a red door of an apartment. He knocks on it a few times and we wait. After a few seconds, we hear the door unlock from inside, and a pregnant woman opens it. I examine her long black hair and look into her red eyes. She looks at me in confusion and then her eyes begin to widen while I do same.

"De-... Denizu?" she asks in disbelief.

"Kurenai..." I say in the same tone.

Kurenai begins to tear up a bit as she puts her right hand over her mouth.

"I know this might be a bit extreme for you right now," Guy says to Kurenai. "But try to stay calm..."

"Denizu!" Kurenai says as she embraces me in a hug.

I am surprised but hug her back carefully, aware of her stomach. Both of us have tears running down our faces.

"It's been so long..." I hear Kurenai says softly.

Guy sees this and begins to tear up as well.

"As a man, I won't cry..." Guy says trying to hold back some tears.

"You've already proven that wrong with Denizu back at the interrogation facility," Kakashi says to mess with him.

Guy can't hold back his tears and lets them run down his face. He also joins our embrace and wraps his arms around Kurenai and I. Kakashi looks at Guy with a sweat drop.

"I'm so sorry," Kurenai says as she lets go of me and wipes her tears away. "Please, come in."

Kurenai opens the door fully for us and motions for us to walk in. I walk into the living room and stand with Guy and Kakashi as Kurenai closes the door.

"Please, take a seat," Kurenai says as she walks over to the kitchen portion of the apartment.

Guy takes a seat in the single seat couch while Kakashi and I sit on the two seat sofa. Kakashi sits closely on my right. I sense a feeling of nervousness between me and Kakashi, but we begin to ignore it. Kurenai walks over with a pitcher of lemonade and a few cups and sets them on the brown coffee table.

"I'll serve the lemonade for us," I say to Kurenai as I quickly sit up and lean over toward the coffee table.

She is a bit surprised but lets me. She takes a seat on the other single seat couch and begins to watch me as I serve lemonade into the glass cups. Kakashi and Guy notice that Kurenai is still trying to process in the fact that I'm sitting in her living room, alive. I hand everyone their glasses of lemonade and take my own as I sit back on the sofa. There is a moment of silence.

"How are you alive?" Kurenai finally asks, breaking the silence.

I look at her in surprise as I take a sip from my lemonade.

"I'm sorry to just cut straight to it," Kurenai says. "I'm just...so appalled at the fact that you're sitting here on my sofa. The last time I remember, people told me you were dead..."

She begins to tear up again. I look at her with sadness in my eyes.

"You don't have to apologize," I say. "As my best friends, if you still are, you have every right to question me... You have every right to be upset with me."

"We will always be your best friends," Kurenai says. "More than ever now that you're alive."

I sit there, trying to hold back my tears.

"All of you were there for me..." I say while looking down at the floor. "You were there for me when my parents died... I never did forget you guys..."

I look up with a small smile and teary eyes. Kurenai smiles warmly at me.

"How did you survive the explosion?" Guy asks.

I feel Kakashi tense up next to me.

"I managed to teleport into another dimension..." I answer with hesitation.

They all look at me in confusion.

"What do you mean by that?" Guy asks.

"My Sharingan had developed to one of its highest stages," I reply while setting my glass of lemonade down on the coffee table. "It was actually the first time I used it..."

"How was Orochimaru able to survive then?" Kurenai asks.

"Because it was my first time activating the Space-Time Migration jutsu," I reply. "It's an ability that only an Uchiha who has mastered the Sharingan well enough can use. It allows me and or anyone or anything else to teleport into another pocket dimension or another location..."

"So you teleported with Orochimaru," Guy concludes.

"If I had more control of the jutsu, I would have left him there to die in the explosion," I say.

I sit there in frustration, remembering all I had gone through with Orochimaru. My hands ball up and begin to tremble.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to talk anymore about it..." I say to them with a forceful small smile.

They understand and agree with my wish. I stare down at the floor with a look of contemplation. We then hear something near the windowsill near us. We turn to the window and see a messenger bird sitting on the sill.

"It's a message from Lady Tsunade," Guy says as he stands up and walks over to the bird.

He opens the small cylinder pouch that's tied around the bird's leg. He takes a small piece of paper out and begins to read it.

"Lady Tsunade wants to see Denizu in her office," Guy says as he turns to us.

"Do you know what for?" Kurenai asks.

"She's going to tell me if she's letting me become a shinobi of the Leaf Village again," I reply as I stand up.

"She has to," Kurenai says as she stands up from her seat. "You can come stay here with me once she lets you know her decision."

"Thank you, Kurenai," I say as I walk over to her and embrace her. "You've always been an older sister to me."

"That'll never change," Kurenai says. "Come straight to me when she lets you know her decision, alright?"

I nod as we pull apart. She gives me a warm smile and I return it.

"I'm so happy that you're alive," she says softly to me.

I'm surprised at her statement.

"I am too," I say to her with a warm smile.

Kakashi and I follow Guy out of Kurenai's apartment door. We head toward the direction of Lady Tsunade's office, crossing our fingers that I may become a shinobi of the Leaf Village once again.


	5. Chapter 5

Part Five

We approach the door of Lady Tsunade's office. Guy stands in front of it and knocks. Kakashi and I are behind him. As we stand there and wait, I feel Kakashi take a gentle hold of my hand. He then squeezes it a bit before letting go. The door then opens and we walk in. Inside I see Lady Tsunade sitting at her desk with Shizune standing next to her. Inoichi is standing on the right side of the room with two of his men. I see elders standing on the left side of the room looking at me as I walk in front of Tsunade's desk. Guy and Kakashi stand about a foot behind me.

"Denizu Uchiha..." Tsunade begins. "The council of elders and I have come together to decide if you will be admitted into the Leaf Village as a shinobi again."

She folds her hands together and places them on the desk.

"Much has come into consideration..." Tsunade continues. "And we have come to our final decision."

I look her straight in the eyes with a serious face. She also looks at me in the same way.

"We've concluded that you are going to be a shinobi of the Leaf Village once again," Tsunade says with a smile.

I look at her with surprise in my eyes.

"You will be given the position as a jonin, just as you were before your disappearance," Tsunade adds.

She then signals some of Inoichi's men. One man walks toward me with a green vest on his left arm and a headband in his right hand. The other man is carrying my weapons in his hands.

"Here is your jonin vest and headband, along with your weapons," Tsunade says. "Because I came to witness your fight with two members of Akatsuki through your Sharingan, it isn't necessary for you to fight any of the other jonin. Fighting two Akatsuki members and your history of excellent ninja skills proves enough that you are still capable of being a jonin. From here on out, you will serve when called upon missions and any other business that is needed for you to take care of."

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade and council of the elders," I say with a bow. "I promise to protect this village and its people with the best of my efforts - with my life - just as I had promised before my disappearance. I will remain loyal to you, the Hokage, and all of my ninja colleagues."

Lady Tsunade smiles at my words. The elders are even surprised themselves to have heard those words from me.

"Tell me, Denizu," I hear an elder man say from the left side of the room. "How is it that even after eleven years you still remain loyal to Konoha?"

I turn to the man who asked me the question. I study his appearance: there is a bandage around his head and also covering the right side of his face. There is also an X marked scar on his chin. I stare at him with a serious face.

"I still remain loyal because it is who I am," I reply in an almost hostile tone as I take my katana from one of Inoichi's men. "I can never come to lose my loyalty to the village I was raised in. My mother and father died for this village; I'm willing to do that as well, Danzo Shimura."

Danzo stares at me with a serious and somewhat insulted look as I take a hold of my katana's handle while looking straight at him. Everyone remains silent after listening to my words. Tsunade notices my slight hostile gaze at the elder man.

"That is all we need from you, Denizu," Tsunade says, wanting to prevent any more harshness. "You are dismissed."

"Thank you," I say turning and bowing to her.

I take the jonin vest and my belongings from Inoichi's men. I then turn around and walk past Kakashi and Guy. They both notice I'm bothered and watch me as I walk out of the room.

"Thank you," Guy and Kakashi say as they bow.

They quickly walk out after me and into the hallway.

"Denizu, hold on!" Guy says as he walks quickly after me with Kakashi.

"What?" I ask as I don't slow my pace down.

"Why were you so hostile to the elder Danzo back there?" Guy asks. "And why are you walking so quickly?"

"Hostile? I wasn't hostile," I say not looking at him. "I promised Kurenai I'd be at her place right after Lady Tsunade made her decision."

I smile at Guy after my statement. He is surprised but returns the smile. Kakashi, however, senses that I'm not telling the truth and eyes me with a contemplative look.

"Yes! We must get to her with the good news!" Guy says with a huge smile.

I place my weapon pouches like I had them before on my hips and just under my lower back. I pull my katana and its strap over my shoulder.

"Ahh, it was a long time I was separated from this..." I say as I pat my katana, causing it to clink in its case.

"It was your father's right?" I hear Kakashi say.

I'm surprised and slow down to turn to him. He looks at me with a calm and interested expression.

"Yes... I'm surprised you remember..." I say to him with a smile.

"How can I forget?" he says with such a soft yet hurt voice.

I hear the hurt in his voice and feel bad.

"Kakashi, I'm sorry..." I say softly, stopping and putting a hand on his shoulder.

He stops and we both face one another.

"How can you think I'd forget something like that?" Kakashi asks.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said that..." I say gazing at the ground.

"I haven't forgotten anything..." Kakashi whispers as he moves closer to me.

I look into his unmasked eye and see his caring gaze as he looks deep into mine. Guy sees this and is afraid to interrupt but does so anyway to prevent any awkwardness.

"Guys, we have to see Kurenai, remember?" Guy says as he puts a hand on my shoulder and one on Kakashi's.

Kakashi and I don't break our gaze.

"Guy's right..." I say as I break away and begin to walk.

Kakashi keeps his gaze on me and he begins to walk with Guy a few feet behind me.

"I know you're a bit upset..." Guy whispers to Kakashi. "Try not to be so harsh on her, though. It must also hurt her too..."

Kakashi listens to Guy as he keeps his gaze on me with deep thought.

"You're right," Kakashi says. "I shouldn't let my emotions take over so harshly..."

"I've also noticed that this is the most troubled I've seen you," Guy says with concern. "You have to have a moment to talk with her to let it all out."

Kakashi looks at me for a few more seconds before sighing.

"You're right," he says with his eye closed. "Otherwise, this is going to keep bothering me."

"That's the spirit," Guy says as he pats Kakashi hard on the back. "And try not to be so nervous when talking to her. I can see you have potential to look her in the eye like you used to."

Kakashi looks at him with a sweat drop. Guy smiles childishly at him and gives him a thumbs up.

"Denizu! Wait for us!" Guy says as he runs after me.

Kakashi watches as Guy and I interact. He sees us talking with no hesitation at all. We're laughing and joking around - just like old times.

'It's much easier for you to take in and accept...' he thinks to himself about Guy. 'But you don't the know pain I felt when I saw her in that explosion...'

We finally reach the front of Kurenai's apartment. I race Guy up the door steps and reach for the doorbell speaker.

"Ha! Beat you!" I say to Guy with a smirk.

"Maybe next time I'll win!" Guy says as he holds up his fist.

"The same old determination and confidence," I say flicking him on his forehead. "I'll let you press the button, though!"

Guy gives me an excited look and presses the button. Kakashi smiles a bit under his mask at my behavior with Guy.

'She hasn't changed much,' Kakashi thinks to himself.

"Who is it?" we hear Kurenai's voice say through the speaker.

"It's us!" Guy says. "And we have good news."

I let out a giggle at the way Guy talked. He looks at me in surprise as the door buzzes open.

"What?" he asks in confusion.

"I haven't heard that funny talk of yours in a long time," I say to him with a childish smile.

He laughs out loud with his hands on his hips. I open the door and motion for him to go in first. I look outside and see Kakashi standing at the bottom steps with his hands in his pockets, staring at the ground.

"Kakashi," I call out to him softly.

He looks up at me in surprise.

"Come on," I say to him with a smile as I motion for him to follow me.

His surprised look turns into a smile under his mask and he follows. I hold the door open for him but he insists on holding it and letting me go before him. I give him a smile of thanks and walk to the stairs. He closes the door behind us and walks to my right with me as we head up. We turn the corner of the hallway and see Guy standing in front of Kurenai's apartment door. I smile at Guy who is really pumped to let Kurenai know the good news. The apartment door opens quickly and we see an anxious Kurenai.

"Are you a shinobi of the Leaf village again?" she asks anxiously.

I don't answer her, but instead hold up a navy blue Leaf Village headband with a smile on my face. She sees it and her eyes widen as a smile spreads across her face. We embrace in a warm hug.

"I'm so happy," Kurenai says as she looks at me with tears of joy in her eyes. "Come inside, guys; I'm making dinner for us!"

She allows us to walk in and closes the door behind us.

"Let me take your stuff to your new room," Kurenai says as she takes my belongings from me and walks inside a bedroom.

She comes back out and leads us to her kitchen table and we all take a seat. Guy sits with Kurenai on one side of the table while Kakashi and I sit on the other. The sound of something boiling in a pot on the stove attracts my attention, along with its smell.

"Smells delicious," I say with a smile. "What are you cooking?"

"Beef stew, orange chicken, brown rice, and sweet dumplings for dessert," Kurenai replies.

"Sounds great!" Guy says with excitement.

"Yeah, I'm so hungry," I say putting a hand on my stomach. "I haven't eaten much in these last few days."

"Why not?" Kakashi asks with concern.

"I tried to get here as fast as possible," I reply.

"That explains you rushing in and causing us to ring the intruder alarm," Guy says jokingly.

I laugh at his remark.

"I've been wondering, Kurenai..." I say as I look at her enlarged stomach. "Who's baby are you carrying?"

"Asuma's..." she says with a small smile as she gazes down at the table.

"Asuma? Really?" I say in excitement. "I'm so happy for you guys! I haven't seen him yet! Will he be home soon? I want to congratulate him!"

Kurenai looks down at the table in sadness, as do Kakashi and Guy.

"What's wrong?" I ask as I glance at all of them in confusion.

"You can't see him, Denizu..." Guy says in a low tone.

"Why not?" I ask in utmost confusion. "Is he out on a mission? We'll get together and eat like the good old times as a group!"

I look at Kurenai's sad expression.

"Asuma's dead, Denizu..." Kurenai says in a low voice.

A sense of shock goes throughout my body as I gaze at her with wide eyes.

"Wh-What?" I ask in a mutter.

"He died fighting members of the Akatsuki..." Kurenai says in a low voice.

I look at her in complete disbelief. I feel completely shaken up at what I've just heard. Kurenai reaches over to me and puts her hand over mine.

"I know it's shocking to find out..." Kurenai says as she presses my hand.

There's a slight moment of silence.

"I'm sorry, but..." I say as I get up from my chair. "I'm not hungry anymore... You guys go ahead and enjoy your meal..."

I walk away from the kitchen with a dreadful look on my face and head to the bedroom Kurenai is letting me stay in.

"Denizu..." Guy calls after me.

I don't say anything but just close the door after me. They all stare at the door with worried faces.

"Poor Denizu..." Guy says. "Coming home to the village only to find out one of her best friends died without her knowing must be hard on her..."

"I'll save some food for her to eat later," Kurenai says.

"She reacted worse than this when she found out about her parents..." Kakashi says in a low voice.

Guy and Kurenai look at Kakashi with curiosity as he stares down at the table in deep thought.

"You were there when she found out?" Kurenai asks.

"I begged my sensei, who had become the Fourth Hokage by then, to let me come with him to let her know about her parents..." Kakashi responds. "He understood my feelings for Denizu and allowed me to go..."

Kurenai and Guy watch Kakashi and wait for him to continue.

"I knew it would be difficult for her when she was to find out," Kakashi continues. "I wanted to be there for her so she wouldn't be alone to mourn their deaths... She was only nine when that happened... She helped me through my father's suicide, so I wanted to be there and help her with her parents' deaths. Even though she was two years younger than me, she always found a way to cheer me up... I cared so much about her then... And I still care so much about her now."

Guy and Kurenai give him warm smiles.

"You're still in love her, aren't you?" Kurenai says.

Kakashi looks up at her in a bit of surprise. He then slowly gazes down at the floor.

"I am..." Kakashi admits with a low voice.

"Now that she's back and well, you should tell her," Kurenai says.

"I can't."

"Well, why not?" Guy asks.

"I don't want to hurt her in any way..." Kakashi replies in a low voice. "She's been through enough. The last thing I want is her suffering because of me."

Kurenai and Guy look at him with looks of sadness.

"I'll help you serve the food," Kakashi says as he stands up from his seat, looking for a reason to not talk about the subject anymore.


	6. Chapter 6

Part Six

I lay on my bed with my right hand on my stomach and my left arm on my side. I stare up into the ceiling in deep thought. There's no sound in the dim room. The only light is coming through the curtain as it shines a few spots in the bedroom. My gaze doesn't leave the white ceiling as I continue to think deeply, until I hear a quiet knock at the door.

"Denizu, it's Kurenai..." I hear from the other side.

Kurenai opens the door slowly and walks in. She sees that I'm just lying there with a deep, contemplative gaze at the ceiling.

"Kakashi and Guy left a little over half an hour ago," She says as she approaches the bed. "They wanted to give you some alone time to sink in the news about Asuma. We didn't want to bother you since we still know that you deal with news like that by going off into isolation and thinking a lot about it..."

I continue to lie there on the bed, staring at the ceiling with a blank look. Kurenai sits on the edge of the bed on my right. She looks over at me and studies my blank gaze at the ceiling. Because I haven't even looked at her, she decides that I don't want to talk. She looks down at the floor with a thoughtful gaze.

"It's just not the fact that he's gone that's so depressing for me..." I say in a low voice.

Kurenai turns her head toward me and listens.

"He was part of our group of friends..." I continue. "You, me, Kakashi, Guy, Asuma... We were practically inseparable... To find out that Asuma's gone...it's so unbelievable..."

Kurenai looks over at me with a look of empathy in her eyes.

"The thing that's also making me the most upset is the fact that I wasn't here for you," I say.

Kurenai is a bit surprised at my statement.

"You're practically like my sister, Kurenai," I continue. "You had always been there for me when we were young... I'm so upset with myself that I wasn't there for you when Asuma died. It must have been so hard for you, especially having known you were pregnant with his child. You needed someone to talk to, someone to give you a shoulder to cry on... I feel so bad that I wasn't there to do that."

I sit up and scoot closer to her. She sees my teary eyes and looks into them.

"I hope you can forgive me, Kurenai," I say in a sad tone as I look down at my hand. "I understand if you don't want to."

Suddenly, I feel Kurenai embrace me. I am surprised but return the hug.

"No matter what," Kurenai says in a soft voice. "You know I'd always forgive you. You're a younger sister to me, and you always will be. I'm happy to know that you're well and alive; that's what matters most right now."

I feel a tear roll down my face after hearing her words, and a smile spreads across my face.

"Thank you so much, Kurenai..." I whisper to her.

She pulls away from me and looks me in the eyes with a warm smile. I laugh a bit as I wipe the tears away from my eyes and look at her stomach.

"I can't wait until your baby is born," I say with a smile.

"Now that you're here and well," Kurenai says. "I'm making you the godmother."

I look at her in surprise. She looks at me with a grin as she notices my happy and surprised expression.

"Really?" I ask.

She nods her head happily and laughs a bit. I look at her and her stomach repeatedly with a huge smile on my face.

"Thank you so much! I'm more than happy to be your baby's godmother!" I say in excitement.

Kurenai laughs in excitement, but suddenly has a look of surprise.

"The baby's kicking! Come! Feel!" she says as she takes my hands and places them on her stomach.

I stay still and wait for the baby to kick. After a few seconds, I feel the baby kick a few times. I gasp and look at Kurenai with excitement.

"I feel it!" I say with a bit of laughter.

Consumed with excitement, I lean over and place my cheek on her stomach. I wait for a bit until I feel and hear the baby kicking. I move back and laugh with joy.

"I felt it, Kurenai!" I say as I raise my arms up in joy.

Kurenai laughs at my reaction as she places her hand on her stomach.

"You haven't changed much," Kurenai says to me with a warm smile.

"I'm glad to hear that," I say with a joyful smile.

"Well, I promised Kakashi I'd make sure you would eat," Kurenai says as she stands up. "So let's go the kitchen; I'm warming some food up for you."

"Kakashi made you promise that?" I ask her in surprise.

"Yes, he was worried that you hadn't been eating well lately," Kurenai responds as she walks out of the bedroom.

I follow after her and walk toward the kitchen with her.

"I asked him to stay and wait for you to come out, but he had to get to some important business with Guy," Kurenai says as she reaches for a bowl in a cabinet.

I stand and lean against one of the chairs and stare at the kitchen table.

"He was concerned about me eating well?" I ask.

"Yes. He wants to make sure you're doing well since you kind of came back from the dead, you know," Kurenai says jokingly.

I scoff with a smile at her remark and she laughs.

"You know how Kakashi has always cared so much for you," she says as she pours some beef stew into a bowl.

"I know..." I say as I take a seat. "I just...find it difficult to believe that after so many years, he still cares..."

"Kakashi would never forget about you," Kurenai says as she places a bowl of beef stew and a plate of rice with orange chicken in front of me.

"I know he wouldn't," I say with a thoughtful smile on my face.

Kurenai notices my expression and can't help but smile.

"You really need to make some time to catch up with him," she says as she hands me a fork and a spoon. "It would do the both of you good."

"I know it would," I say as I place my spoon inside my bowl of stew. "I just feel that he still needs some time to process in that I'm here and alive."

"I can see that," Kurenai says as she places a bowl of sweet dumplings covered in icing. "But just make sure you both spend time together."

I take a spoonful of warm beef stew and blow on it as I think about what Kurenai has just said.


	7. Chapter 7

Part Seven

After dinner, Kurenai and I spent most of our time catching up on things. I was worried that I should be doing something at the moment as a renewed shinobi, but she said that Lady Tsunade probably wanted to give me some time to settle down and catch up with my closest friends. Kurenai also helped me find the perfect spot to wear my new headband. After many suggestions, we decided I should wear the headband around my left arm. It works because I was never fond of wearing my headband on my forehead; it's bothersome with my hair and all.

It's late at night. I haven't been able to sleep well; I've been tossing and turning for quite a while. I stare up at the ceiling through the dimly lit room. My arms lay on my sides as I lay motionless on my bed. I sigh and get up. I walk over to my black ninja sandals and slip them on. Carefully, I open the window and head out. I land on my feet and quickly head for a rooftop and leap from one to the other as swiftly as possible. After a while, I finally reach my destination on the other side of the village: the burial area of fallen shinobi. I walk over toward two erect tombstones and stand before them.

"_Here lies Kohaku Uchiha. An honorable and highly skilled shinobi, head of the main family branch of the Uchiha Clan. Died fighting for the village in the Third Shinobi World War_," is imprinted on my father's grave.

"_Here lies Miyako Uchiha. An honorable and highly skilled kunoichi of the Uchiha Clan. Died fighting for the village in the Third Shinobi World War_," is imprinted on my mother's grave.

I look over at the third grave on the right and gaze at it with a blank expression.

"_Here lies Denizu Uchiha. A young and highly skilled kunoichi of the main family branch in the Uchiha Clan. Died in an ANBU mission for the well-being of the village_," is imprinted on the grave.

I stare down at it for a few moments before turning my attention back to my parents' graves.

"Surprised to see your name?" I hear a familiar voice say.

I turn to my left and am surprised to see Kakashi walking toward me. His hands are in his pockets; he's not wearing his jonin vest nor his headband, just his long sleeve, navy blue shirt and his dark pants, his face still covered with his mask, both of his eyes revealed. I look him in the eyes before turning my gaze back at the graves. Kakashi stops and stands next to me while facing my parents' graves, less than a foot away from me. There's a brief moment of silence between us.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, finally breaking the silence.

"For some reason, I had this feeling you wouldn't be sleeping," he responds. "You would always sneak out at this time of night and come visit your parents' graves. You also haven't seen them in such a long time, so I figured you'd be here tonight."

"So you came to comfort me like you always did those nights you found me sobbing here when I was young..." I say, still gazing down at the graves.

Kakashi as well gazes down at the graves, beginning to remember one particular night.

FLASHBACK: 17 YEARS AGO

It's a cold and rainy night. Kakashi lands outside an open window of a two floor house. He looks around to be cautious of anyone and then peers inside the bedroom. He is surprised to see that the bed is not made, as if someone has just gotten out and left.

'She's gone again,' he thinks to himself as he pulls back.

Kakashi quickly jumps off the top of the house and heads away quickly in the light drizzle of rain. After some time, he arrives at the burial area of shinobi and stops. He stands and stares at a young girl kneeling over two graves, sobbing with her hands in her face.

'Denizu...' he thinks in sadness.

He looks at me for a moment with sorrow in his eyes and begins to quickly approach me. He kneels down next to me and puts his arm over my back, feeling my cold, wet clothes.

"Denizu..." Kakashi says to me with concern. "You're soaking wet. You shouldn't be out this late in the rain."

"But I miss them, Kakashi..." I mutter.

He looks down at me with sorrow, positioning his body over me in an effort to cover me from the light drizzle of the cold rain.

"I know a shinobi must handle the death of other shinobi with strength..." I say in between sniffs. "But...they weren't just shinobi...they were my parents..."

"I know that, Denizu..." Kakashi says. "There is no problem mourning their deaths, especially because they were your parents."

"It's just so hard to believe that they're gone..." I say rubbing my eyes.

"I know how you feel... I lost my dad a few years ago. You know about that..."

I sniff as I rub my left eye with my hand and sit up. Kakashi moves back a little to give me room to sit up straight. I look into his eyes as I feel rain drops from my soaking wet hair trickle down my face. He looks into my eyes and sees so much sorrow and pain.

"I'll take you home, now..." Kakashi says as he takes a hold of my hand. "It's late and you're soaking wet."

I nod and stand up with him. He holds my left hand and wraps his right arm around me. All along the way back to my house, he holds me close, trying to keep me warm.

We reach the roof of my house and sneak into my room through my open window. Kakashi closes the window behind us, carefully and quietly, not wanting to make a lot of noise because of my grandmother sleeping in the room across from mine. I stand in the middle of my bedroom, shivering and dripping wet. Kakashi hurries to my dresser and grabs a folded blue towel.

"Here, go change into some warm, dry clothes," Kakashi says as he hands me the towel.

I take the towel and walk over to my dresser. Kakashi keeps his back turned to me to not look at me while I quickly change. He stares at the wall with a blank look, and his gaze turns to his left. The picture frame on my night stand catches his attention. He walks over to it and picks it up. It's a picture of me and my parents. I stand in between them as the three of us smile at the camera, obviously a pleased and happy family. Kakashi studies me in the picture, taking note how happy I look with my parents.

"Kakashi..." he hears me say from behind.

He turns around in surprise and sees me standing in front of him wearing dry clothes, holding out a red towel.

"You should get dry too," I say to him with a weak smile and tired eyes. "I'd feel bad if you got sick because of me."

He stares at me for a moment before setting the picture back on my night stand.

"You shouldn't worry about me," Kakashi says as he takes the towel from me. "It wouldn't be your fault at all. I'm not even that wet; the rain calmed down once I got to you."

I watch him as he places the towel over his head and begins to dry his messy silver hair. As he begins to take the towel off his head, I see that he has slid his mask off. I stare at him in wonder as he continues to dry the back of his hair. He notices my wondering gaze and is a bit surprised.

"What's wrong?" he asks as he uses the end of the towel to dry the side of his head.

"You're not wearing your mask..." I say to him in a soft voice. "Why?"

He stops drying his hair for a moment and gives me a warm look.

"Because I trust you," he says in a soft voice.

I look up into his eyes with a surprised expression. He smiles warmly at me as he notices a very light blush on my cheeks. I suddenly sneeze and he gives me a worried look.

"Come on. It's time for you to get into bed and get warm," he says as he leads me to my bed. "I don't want you getting sick."

I climb into my bed and stick my legs under the covers.

"I want you to get some sleep now, okay?" Kakashi says before turning around and heading for the window.

"Please, don't leave me, Kakashi..." I say in a trembling voice as I grab his wrist. "I don't want to be alone..."

He turns to me in surprise and is heartbroken to see tears running down my face.

"My parents are gone... I'm scared of being lonely..." I cry softly to him.

I then feel him climb under the covers with me. He makes himself comfortable as he pulls the covers overs us. I place my head on my pillow and he does the same. We position ourselves to have my forehead right under his chin as he wraps his arm around me. I feel the soft skin of his face on my forehead as he pulls me closer.

"Never feel lonely, Denizu..." he whispers softly as he takes a hold of my hand. "I'll always be here with you."

I am surprised at his words. I then cuddle myself closer to him as I gently squeeze his hand.

"Thank you, Kakashi..." I whisper to him as a warm smile appears on my face.

END OF FLASHBACK

Kakashi and I continue to both gaze down at my parents' graves.

"That night you revealed your face to me," I say. "I remember all that you said..."

The sound of the leaves moving with the light gusts of wind fills a bit of the silence.

"Why didn't you come back?" Kakashi finally asks.

I stand there in silence, keeping my gaze down. Suddenly, Kakashi grabs me by the shoulders, turns my body to him, and pulls me into an embrace. I stand there, frozen in shock.

"Do you have any idea how I felt when I saw you in that explosion?" he asks in a mutter, his mouth close to my right ear. "It was a living hell for me after you were gone... I was left alone after that... Every person close to me had died..."

I turn my gaze down in sadness at hearing his words. I then embrace him closely and bury my face into his chest.

"I'm so sorry to have made you go through all of that..." I say as tears roll down my face. "I didn't mean for that to happen..."

Kakashi notices I'm now crying and pulls me closer to him.

"There's just so much I went through before and after the explosion... So many things happened in these past eleven years..."

"We don't have to talk about it tonight..." Kakashi says as he pulls away and looks me in the eyes. "I can tell you're still a bit exhausted from getting to Konoha as fast as possible these past few days. I'm able to wait for us to catch up in order for you to get better."

I look up at Kakashi with an appreciative, warm smile as he wipes away my tears with his thumbs. His black eye and Sharingan eye return the gaze full with warmth.

"Thank you, Kakashi," I say softly to him.


	8. Chapter 8

Part Eight

Two days have passed by since the night Kakashi and I talked in front of my parents' graves. Lady Tsunade has removed my tombstone once Kakashi brought it to her attention. He really didn't want that tombstone there since that night we talked, and Tsunade believed it was obvious to get rid of it since I am, after all, alive. However, even though she did this favor for us, she still had us both go on many missions. We had to run some errands for her, separately. Some errands took most of the day or night, so Kakashi and I were both very busy, leaving us with no time to talk. Although Kakashi and I were separated for most of the time, we did occasionally pass one another in the village. We looked very casual when passing one another, but we gave each other looks that expressed care and want.

It's almost time for sun down. I'm walking through the village, trying to get some time to think. I have just come back from a mission where Lady Tsunade had me meet with someone of the Sand Village to exchange valuable information about the Akatsuki. I left early in the morning and didn't come back until now. Lady Tsunade seems to also be keeping a close eye on me.

'It's not that she doesn't trust me...' I think to myself about Tsunade as I walk through the village, gazing at the ground in thought. 'She just needs to make sure I'm doing well...'

The sound of people chattering and children laughing fills the area. I watch as two children run after one another with kites held high in the air. Their cries of laughter make a smile spread across my face.

"Denizu," I hear someone call me from behind.

I stop and turn around to see a familiar man walking up to me.

"Aoba," I say in surprise. "What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing," Aoba says as he stands in front of me, scratching his head. "I was just wondering if you'd care to discuss some matters with me."

"What exactly?"

"Well, I'd like to discuss more about your abilities," Aoba says, fixing his glasses.

"Oh, all right," I say. "I'm on my way to get a cup of tea at a parlor. Care to talk there?" I suggest, beginning to walk.

"Um, yes, that's fine," Aoba says as he follows me.

We head inside a tea parlor and take a seat in one of the tables, Aoba sitting across from me. I look at him and see him pulling on his collar and then adjusting his glasses.

"What would you two like today?" an elderly woman with an apron comes over and says to us.

"I'll have a cup of green tea, please," I say.

"I'll have the same, please," Aoba says.

The elderly woman nods with a smile and walks away. Again, I watch Aoba as he adjusts his glasses again, fidgeting a bit.

"Why are you nervous?" I finally ask him.

He looks at me in surprise and sweat drops.

"I'm very sorry," he says. "It's still a bit difficult to process in the fact that you, an Uchiha, are still alive, especially with your status of abilities."

"Oh, I see," I say with a smile of comprehension. "You're not the only one. At least you're not suffocating me in a tight embrace..." I say while humorously remembering the way Guy greeted me at the interrogation facility.

"That's certainly true," Aoba says with a more relaxed chuckle. "If I had been on more personal terms with you, I probably would have done the same thing..."

I giggle at his statement and give him a friendly smile; he smiles back. The elderly woman walks over and serves us our tea, and we nod to her in appreciation.

"If I do remember correctly," I say. "You specialize in fire release techniques, yes?"

"I'm surprised you remember," he answers after sipping from his tea. "Yes, I do. I remember I learned quite a bit from you when you were in the ANBU, even if you were younger than me. As an Uchiha, you were an excellent fire release user. I hope that you still are."

"Is that a challenge, Mr. Yamashiro?" I say to him with a slight grin before taking a sip of my tea.

"Not necessarily a challenge - just a suggestion that we should get together sometime and test your abilities and see if you have improved."

"I'll advise you to think twice, Aoba," I playfully tease him. "Eleven years can prove quite useful for training."

"Even without those eleven years, you still prove to be a very skillful shinobi," he says with utmost respect in his tone.

"Thank you, Aoba," I say after taking a sip from my tea. "I'm sure you have become a strong shinobi over the years as well."

He is surprised at my statement and stares at me as I give him a friendly smile.

"Denizu! Aoba!" we hear a familiar voice say.

Aoba and I turn to the direction of the voice and see Guy walking toward our table with a huge grin. Close behind him is Kakashi, walking over with his hands in his pockets and chilled appearance.

"Taking Denizu out on a date, Aoba?" Guy says to Aoba with a smirk.

Kakashi looks at Guy with a surprised look after hearing his statement.

"No, we're just having a friendly conversation," Aoba says nervously in defense.

Guy turns to Kakashi and sees his odd expression.

"What's the matter Kakashi? You're not jealous, are you?" Guy teases with a huge grin.

Kakashi tenses up and gives him an even more surprised look with a sweat drop.

"No, it's not like that..." Kakashi says in a nervous tone.

He then looks down in devastation at being humiliated by Guy and sighs. Guy laughs out loud at Kakashi's reaction. I smile warmly at Kakashi as he has his body drooped forward.

"If that's the case, you don't need to worry, Kakashi," Aoba says with a smile. "There's no sense of rivalry for Denizu's heart."

Kakashi tenses up even more at hearing Aoba's last statement. This causes Guy to laugh out loud again.

"Take it easy, Kakashi," Guy says as he slaps Kakashi hard on the back. "We're just teasing."

Kakashi continues to look down in embarrassment. I giggle at him, and he looks up at me in surprise. We stare at one another in wonder for a moment before I quickly turn away.

"Why don't you guys stay and keep Denizu company?" Aoba suggests. "I have to report to Lady Tsunade. I don't want to leave Denizu alone."

"We'd be more than happy to!" Guy says in excitement.

"I'm sorry to have made this such a short conversation," Aoba says as he stands and turns to me. "Don't worry about paying; I'll pay for our tea expenses. Perhaps we'll get together some time to put our fire release techniques to the test."

"I'm looking forward to it," I say to him with a friendly smile.

He returns the smile and nods at me and at Guy and Kakashi. He then walks away to the front desk, pays the elderly woman, and waves at us before heading out of the parlor.

"Planning on having a friendly fight with Aoba?" Guy asks as he takes Aoba's seat across from me after shoving Kakashi to have a seat next to me on my right.

"We're merely going to display our fire release techniques to one another," I say before taking a sip of tea.

"Didn't you teach him a few when you were younger?" Kakashi asks.

"Yeah, I gave him a few tips when I was in ANBU before he was promoted to jonin."

"Wow, you had a lot of influence on some of the jonin here, huh?" Guy says as he picks up Aoba's cup of unfinished tea.

"You're going to actually drink it?" Kakashi asks Guy.

"I'm sure Aoba wouldn't want it to go waste!" Guy answers. "I'll do you the favor and finish it, Aoba!" He says as he holds a fist up and then begins to chug the tea down.

"You still take on the leftovers, huh?" I say to Guy teasingly.

"Be thankful it was just tea and not actual food," Kakashi says.

"Do not judge my eating ways, Kakashi!" Guy says while pointing a finger at him. "In fact, we're not doing anything right now! Denizu, are you busy with any errands?"

"No, Tsunade said not until sometime tomorrow, why?" I reply after drinking the last bit of my tea.

"You're coming to witness a competition between me and Kakashi!" Guy says in excitement.

"Competition?" Kakashi asks with a confused look.

"I have come up with the idea of a food eating contest between you and me, Kakashi! Denizu will be our witness and judge!"

Kakashi looks down at the table with his eye closed and sighs.

"Come on! Let's go!" Guy says as he gets up and pulls me and Kakashi with him.

He leads us out of the parlor and begins to walk quickly in front of us. Kakashi walks closely on my left.

"So which type of food should we eat? Hm..." Guy begins to say out loud. "Perhaps seafood?"

"You guys still have these sorts of competitions?" I say to Kakashi in a low voice as we walk a few feet behind Guy.

"Maybe we'll just have a competition of eating red meat!" Guy continues to say out loud in front of us.

"Yes, we do," Kakashi answers me. "Unfortunately, he's still the one who comes up with them."

I giggle at his remark and he smiles under his mask.

"I missed you guys and your contests," I say.

"Well, trust me, they can get tiring," Kakashi says.

"I can imagine," I say to him as I smile.

"How about we ditch him?" Kakashi suggests quietly to me.

"Don't you think that'll make him upset?"

"Exactly," he responds. "Are you up for it?"

I look at Guy and see that he is still distracting himself with all of his brainstorming, not aware of what we're doing.

"Let's do it," I whisper to Kakashi with a smile.

He returns the look and takes a hold of my left hand, quickly leading us into a nearby alley. We head toward a right turn in the alley and into another. We run out into a busy street through a crowd of people. Kakashi holds my hand firmly, not wanting to let go. We pass markets full of villagers everywhere. Kakashi then leads me into another alley and we move quickly through it.

"Where are we going, Kakashi?" I ask, keeping up with his pace.

"We've got to get as far away from Guy as possible," he replies.

"Do you have a specific place in mind?"

He points upward with his finger. I look at the direction he's pointing and see that it's the mountain side with the Hokages' face carvings.

"We can't jump on rooftops to get there because Guy will probably see us," Kakashi says.

He then stops us at the end of an alley and pulls me close to him.

"Short cut," he says holding me close.

We then disappear in a puff of smoke. I then feel us reappear in another puff of smoke and see that we have teleported high on to the mountain side of the Hokage monument. We're on the cliff and can see the whole village from up here.

"It's been so long..." I say as I walk over to the edge and gaze over the whole village.

"This is where we used to come and have our talks when we were younger, remember?" Kakashi says as he stands next to me and gazes at the village as well.

"Yeah. We used to talk until it got dark enough to watch the sun set..." I reply with a smile. "Is that why you brought us here?"

"Well, you've figured my plan out," Kakashi says playfully as he scratches the back of his head with a smile.

I giggle at him and playfully punch him on his shoulder and motion for him to follow me. We walk over to the area where there's shade under a small patch of forest. I see a large rock and head over and sit on it. Kakashi follows and takes a seat on the rock next to me on my right.

"Sorry we haven't been able to talk lately," Kakashi says.

"No, it's fine," I say. "We've both been busy with errands. We can't always have free time, can we?"

"That's why I wanted to suggest that we ditch Guy and his absurd contest challenge. I want to spend this spare time with you."

"Though I do have to admit that I feel a bit bad for doing that to poor Guy..."

"Don't worry about it," he says as he looks at me with a warm expression. "He'll be fine."

I giggle a bit and smile childishly at him. I then turn and look down at the ground.

"About my disappearance..." I say in a serious tone.

Kakashi also changes his character into a serious one and prepares to listen.

"As I said before at Kurenai's," I begin. "I wasn't familiar with using the Space–Time Migration of my Sharingan. Right before Orochimaru led me and himself under the trap of the bomb, my Sharingan took us both into a pocket dimension, causing us to escape the explosion. This was extreme for both me and Orochimaru, so we ended up nearly passed out in the pocket dimension. I was in worse condition, so he had more of a faster recovery. Before he could approach me, I activated my Space–Time Migration again. However, instead of me returning back to some close location to Konoha like Orochimaru did, I ended up in an unfamiliar place."

"Where did you end up?" Kakashi asks.

"Unfortunately, I ended up somewhere past the Land of Earth due to my lack of control of the Space–Time Migration jutsu. I ended up so far out, past the Land of Earth, I probably would have died from starvation and dehydration had I not been found by an elderly couple living in the country side. They were isolated far from any civilization, so they let me stay until I fully recovered. I was in such bad shape for me to take care of myself..."

"What happened with Orochimaru that you ended up so weakened?" Kakashi asks. "I remember seeing you in such poor condition after my ANBU squad tracked you and Orochimaru down."

I gaze down at the ground with a serious look in my eyes. Kakashi notices this and waits for me to answer.

"Kakashi..." I say to him in a serious tone. "What I'm about to show you may shock you..."

Kakashi is a bit surprised but keeps a calm composure. I reach for my hair and lift it up to reveal the back of my neck. Kakashi is a bit perplexed and leans in a bit closer to see a mark clearer. To his shock, he sees a marking that consists of three tomoe similar to the Sharingan on the left side of the back of my neck.

"That's the Curse Seal of Heaven..." Kakashi says as he pulls back in shock. "Orochimaru gave it to you?"

"Yes..." I reply as I let my hair back down. "Orochimaru applied it to me when I was kidnapped by him..."

"It all makes sense now..." Kakashi says.

I turn to him with a confused look.

"What makes sense?" I ask.

"A few years ago, Orochimaru applied that same curse seal to one of my students..." Kakashi replies. "He applied it to Sasuke Uchiha."

I'm surprised at his statement.

"Sasuke?" I say. "Itachi Uchiha's younger brother?"

"Yes. I know you had a close connection to their family when you took Itachi under your wing."

"I also taught a few things to Sasuke. He was determined to be as good as his brother the older he grew. What happened to him?"

"He fell into Orochimaru's influence in search for more power in order to avenge the Uchiha clan..." Kakashi says with a look of dismay. "His goal was to find and kill Itachi. He became power hungry and wanted to do anything to get a hold of power in order to defeat his brother. However, the reason why Orochimaru gave him the curse seal of heaven was to take his body."

I turn to him with surprise.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Orochimaru intended to have the seal corrode Sasuke's mind so that he could become his next body," Kakashi replies. "I'm willing to bet that you were his first target."

'That's basically what he didn't want to tell me when he kidnapped me...' I think to myself.

"How did you hear about the slaughter of the Uchiha?" Kakashi asks, interrupting my thoughts.

"It became a well spread rumor as I traveled to get back to Konoha," I reply. "I didn't want to return back to the village after hearing about that. I didn't want to put myself at risk in case there was any danger for me. In fact, most of the reason I decided not to come back was because I didn't want to be a danger to Konoha..."

Kakashi looks at me in confusion.

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"I wanted to isolate myself as much as possible in order to gain some control of the curse seal..." I reply, putting a hand on my lap. "Had you seen me when I first attempted to control the power of the seal, you'd understand..."

I look up at Kakashi and give him a look full of sorrow.

"I endangered the lives of many innocent people when I was with Orochimaru..." I say to him softly, with tears in my eyes. "He had made me test the curse seal's abilities... It was intense since I was only 16. Ever since that experience, I knew I needed to isolate myself for a long time in order to prevent myself from hurting anyone. My Sharingan abilities helped me a lot in controlling the curse seal's power, so I eventually learned how to control it. But I rarely ended up using its power... I only used it when I needed to."

Kakashi stares at me with a look of sorrow.

"To make up for the innocent lives I had taken, I set out to help and protect those who were innocent," I continue, wiping tears away from my eyes. "I dedicated myself to stopping those who did harm to the innocent, no matter the cost... Just like my parents always taught me to."

"So you lived a period of guilt and sought for a way to find redemption," Kakashi states.

"I didn't want those closest to me here in Konoha to see me the way I was..." I say, sniffling and turning to Kakashi. "Especially you..."

Kakashi looks at me in surprise and sorrow. He then pulls me into his arms and holds me close.

"You have to understand that it wasn't your fault," Kakashi says as he caresses my hair. "I've seen how difficult it is to control the curse seal's power; it can take a heavy toll on the body of whoever possesses it... If you had come to the village, I would have done anything to help you control it, even if it meant putting myself in danger..."

I feel a warm sensation at his last words and bury my face into his chest.

"Thank you so much, Kakashi..." I whisper.

"You don't have to thank me," he says as he gently puts his hand on my head. "That's what I'm here for..."

I sniff and slowly pull away from him while rubbing my eyes.

"Oh, look," Kakashi says as he points to our left.

He takes a hold of my hand and leads me away from the rock.

"Come on. The sun is setting..." he says as he leads us to the edge of the cliff.

We stand close to the edge of the cliff and stare off into the beautiful horizon. A gentle smile is spread across my face as we stand close to one another, staring off into the sunset.

"KAKASHI SENSEI!" we hear someone call out.

Kakashi and I turn to our left and see a blond haired young man sprinting toward us. Right beside him is Guy sprinting at the same speed as well. They stop in front of us, bending over and trying to catch their breath.

"See?" The blonde boy says out of breath. "I told you...I'd find him...first..."

"That's not fair..." Guy says out of breath. "I pointed him out... And you just ran toward him..."

The young blond haired man stands up straight, closes his eyes, and inhales some air. He then exhales in relief and turns to me with a questionable look.

"Hey, who are you?" the young man asks me.

"That's Denizu," Guy answers him. "She's Kakashi's girlfriend," he says with a grin.

Kakashi tenses up a bit in embarrassment while I stand there, completely oblivious to Guy's statement, staring at the young blond haired man in curiosity.

'He seems awfully familiar...' I think to myself as I stare at the young man.

"Is this true, Kakashi sensei?" the young man asks Kakashi with a smirk.

"Uhhh, isn't it past your bedtime, Naruto?" Kakashi says nervously.

'Naruto...' I think to myself. 'That name...it sounds familiar...'

"Bedtime?" Naruto exclaims. "Since when do I have a bedtime?"

"Well, look at the time!" Kakashi says as he takes a hold of my arm. "Gotta run!"

Kakashi and I disappear in a puff of smoke. We reappear in front of Kurenai's apartment. I stand there puzzled, still trying to remember who Naruto is and why he looks so familiar.

"Do you have the apartment key?" Kakashi asks, interrupting my thoughts.

"Hm? Oh! Yes, I do," I say, heading up the entrance stairs.

I open the door and we both walk in. Kakashi closes the door after us, and we head up the apartment stairs.

"I want you to do me a favor tomorrow," Kakashi says.

I turn my attention to him as we continue to walk up the stairs.

"I want you to tell Lady Tsunade about your curse seal," he says. "It's best that she knows in case anything is to happen. It is also a good sign of trust to explain to her why you didn't let her know about it sooner."

"I understand," I say as we turn the corner of the hallway.

"I'll go with you first thing in the morning," Kakashi says. "I know it'll be difficult for you to explain, so I'll be there to help you."

"You have no idea how much this means to me," I say to him with a warm smile.

"I do, actually," he says as we arrive at Kurenai's apartment door.

Before grabbing the doorknob, I turn to Kakashi and stand close in front of him.

"I really do appreciate you listening to me..." I say looking down at the floor shyly.

I then feel Kakashi's hand gently lift my face up to his. His gaze meets mine as he moves his body closer to mine. I feel my face burn up a bit as I see his pensive expression. He keeps his hand on my left cheek and caresses it gently as he leans his face into mine. We both slowly begin to close our eyes. He then pulls back slowly, now giving me an apologetic look. He caresses my cheek one last time before turning and walking away. I watch him with a sad and confused look as he turns around the corner of the hallway.

'Kakashi...' I think to myself.

I then turn around, insert the key to unlock the door, and open it. To my surprise, I see Kurenai standing a few feet behind the door, giving me a sad face.

"What's wrong Kurenai?" I say to her in worry as I close and lock the door.

"I'm sorry..." Kurenai asks.

I look at her in confusion.

"Sorry for what?" I ask.

"I think Kakashi sensed my presence as I watched you guys through the door's peephole..." she answers with a tone of embarrassment and guilt. "That's probably why he didn't give you a kiss... I'm sorry, Denizu... I just heard your voices and got excited..."

I give her a look of surprise as I look at her gaze down at the floor, and I then smile widely.

"You're so funny!" I say as I hug her gently. "You're such a big sister!"

She is surprised a bit, but she then smiles and hugs me back.

"I was actually hoping Kakashi would kiss you," Kurenai says to me.

We both laugh at one another childishly as we pull apart.

"Come on – dinner's ready," she says as she leads me to the kitchen.

'Was it really because Kurenai was standing there watching us, Kakashi?' I think to myself.


	9. Chapter 9

Part Nine

It's early in the morning. Kakashi and I are walking through a hallway in the Hokage building, about to head into Lady Tsunade's office. I walk with a weary expression on my face the closer we approach Tsuande's door. Kakashi turns his gaze over to me and notices my face.

"It's going to be all right," he says as he places a hand on my left shoulder.

I look over to him and nod in comprehension. He stares at me for a moment before taking his hand off my shoulder. We arrive at Lady Tsunade's door, and Kakashi knocks on it.

"Come in," we hear Tsunade say from inside.

Kakashi opens the door and lets me in first. Tsunade looks up from a piece of paper at me in surprise. Kakashi closes the door after him and walks up next to me as we stand in front of Tsunade's desk.

"Denizu, Kakashi," Tsunade says, setting some papers down. "What can I do for you?"

"I need to inform you about something," I say.

Tsunade looks at me with a surprised expression.

"What is it?" Tsunade asks.

"I have come to inform you about my Curse Seal of Heaven," I say calmly.

Tsunade's eyes widen a bit in surprise.

"I'm sorry to not have come sooner and informed you about it, but it's something I don't wish to speak much about," I say.

"It's understandable," Tsunade says. "But I must know if Orochimaru branded you with the curse seal when he kidnapped you. Is this true?"

"Yes. He gave me the curse seal when he kidnapped me. It was most of the reason why I didn't return to Konoha. I didn't want to risk putting people in danger with the power of the seal I could not yet control."

"What other reason do you have as to why you didn't return to Konoha?"

"Right before Orochimaru led me and himself under the trap of the bomb, my Sharingan took us both into a pocket dimension, causing us to escape the explosion during the attempt of rescuing me. This was extreme for both me and Orochimaru, so we ended up nearly passed out in the pocket dimension. I was in worse condition, so he had more of a faster recovery. Before he could approach me, I activated my Space–Time Migration."

"Space–Time Migration?" Tsunade says in a perplexed tone.

"It's a jutsu only users of the Sharingan can obtain. It allows me to teleport myself or anything I touch to another location or a pocket dimension."

"So you ended up taking Orochimaru with you..." Tsunade concludes.

"Yes, due to the fact that it was the first time I activated it and didn't have control on how to use it. However, instead of me returning back to some close location to Konoha like Orochimaru did, I ended up in an unfamiliar place."

"Where did you end up?"

"Unfortunately, I ended up somewhere past the Land of Earth due to my lack of control of the Space–Time Migration jutsu. I ended up so far out, past the Land of Earth, I probably would have died from starvation and dehydration had I not been found by an elderly couple living in the country side. They were isolated far from any civilization, so they let me stay until I fully recovered. I was in such bad shape for me to take care of myself..."

Tsunade gazes at me with wonder in her eyes.

"As you are aware," Kakashi steps in. "A few years ago, Orochimaru applied that same curse seal to one of my students..." Kakashi replies. "He applied it to Sasuke Uchiha."

Tsunade nods, knowing about this.

"Orochimaru intended to have the seal corrode Sasuke's mind so that he could become his next body," Kakashi replies. "We've come to conclude that Orochimaru had Denizu as her first intended victim because of her abilities."

"That would explain why Orochimaru had a strong liking in Sasuke," Tsunade says as she rubs her chin in thought.

"Precisely," Kakashi says.

Tsunade looks at both me and Kakashi with a thoughtful and interested gaze.

"I'm surprised at how close you two are," she says. "I can infer that Denizu has confided in you about what she has told me. Do you mind if I ask how you two have so much trust in one another?"

Kakashi and I are surprised at her question.

"We were close friends since we were young," Kakashi finally answers.

"We confided in one another in the time up until my alleged death," I add.

Tsunade looks at us with a slight smile. She then shakes it off in order to prevent us from noticing her gaze.

"I'm very glad you came to me and informed me about this matter," Tsunade says. "I understand why you did not want to tell me the day you renewed your title as a ninja of the Leaf Village; it's something that's not easy for someone to talk about, especially in your case. I don't see this as a violation, but instead I see it as an act of trust. Therefore, I will not hold it against you."

"Oh, and one request, Lady Tsunade," Kakashi says.

"What is it?"

"Can you make it official to make Denizu as part of my original Team 7?"

I look over at Kakashi in surprise.

"Granted," Lady Tsunade says with a smile.

I snap out of my surprise and turn back to Tsunade.

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade," I say with a bow. "I appreciate it a lot."

"You're most welcome," she says with a calm smile. "I have all my errands being taken care of by other jonin, so why don't you both take the day off – enjoy yourselves."

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade," Kakashi says with a bow.

I then take my leave with Kakashi. We head out of the room and into the hallway.

"You did well," Kakashi says to me with a smile under his mask.

"Thank you," I say. "I couldn't have done it without you."

"Denizu," we hear someone say from ahead.

We look forward and see Aoba walking toward us with a smile.

"How are you both doing?"

"Well, thank you for asking," I answer. "And yourself?"

"Just a little pumped for a fire release technique showdown," he says with a smile.

"Did I hear showdown?" someone from behind says.

We turn around and see Guy walking toward us with an excited look on his face.

"I'd be more than happy to witness your showdown!" Guy exclaims.

"Then it's settled," I say with a smile. "Aoba, I'll be testing your fire releases techniques to see how much they have improved. The three of you meet me at the training grounds outside of the village."

With that, I disappear in a puff of smoke. I teleport to a clear, open field in the forest near a large lake. A few seconds later, Kakashi, Guy, and Aoba appear in puffs of smoke.

"Take your place, Aoba, and show me what you got," I say to him with my hands on my hips.

Aoba nods. Kakashi and Guy back away to the sidelines and watch. I watch Aoba as he performs some hand signs. He holds his hand up to his mouth after taking in some air, and then exhales multiple fireballs.

'Fire ball jutsu,' I think to myself.

I quickly begin to dodge the many fireballs. I throw myself into a backflip, avoiding three fireballs, then jumping from left to right, avoiding the rest. I quickly perform a few hand signs, hold my hand up to my mouth, quickly inhale some air, and then exhaling it, making four balls of fire fly at Aoba. He jumps up, easily averting them, giving me a smirk as he lands on his feet.

"Are you holding back?" Aoba exclaims.

I smile a bit and point behind him. He is puzzled and then turns around to see the same fireballs flying at him again. He panics a bit, and acts quickly to dodge them. The fireballs manage to come straight at me, but once they are some feet far from me, without flinching, I make them vanish into thin air.

"Impressive," Aoba says with a smirk.

"Why, thank you," I say, returning the smirk.

He then begins to perform some hands, as do I, seeing the hand signs are familiar and know which jutsu he'll be using next. We quickly inhale some air, put our hands to our mouths, and exhale a large stream of fire. Our streams of fire collide, causing a bigger fire to form when they meet. We both hold our streams of fire out for a few more seconds before stopping. We then perform some hand signs, inhale a large amount of air, hold a hand out to the front of our mouths, and exhale a large amount of air, making two huge fireballs to fly at one another. They end up colliding in mid air, staying there for a moment, before canceling themselves out. Aoba and I stand there with smirks on our faces.

"Looks like we've played a game of copy cat," I say to him jokingly.

"A well played one at that," Aoba responds.

"You've improved well with your fire techniques. I congratulate you."

Aoba gives me a warm and appreciative smile.

"Bravo!" Guy says from afar, clapping his hands loudly. "I'm impressed! It's surprising how much fire a woman can have in battle!"

"That's an Uchiha for you," I say with a smile.

For the rest of the day, Guy, Kakashi, Aoba and I hung out. We stayed at the training grounds, demonstrating and challenging each other's jutsu. We later invited Kurenai with us and went to eat some lunch together. We had a great time for the most part. Kakashi and I shared our individual moments when we either gazed into each other's eyes or merely exchanged light touches of our hands, all without anyone noticing.

It's late in the evening, and we have stopped in the middle of the street.

"Well, I'm off to finish some paperwork," Aoba says. "Thank you all for a great time. I hope to do it again some time."

We all smile at him and return his wave of goodbye as he begins to walk in a different direction.

"So where are we off to?" Guy asks with a smile.

"I'm actually worn out from all the walking," Kurenai says in a tired tone.

"I'm actually feeling kind of hungry," I say as I feel my stomach growl.

"How about I take you somewhere to eat?" Kakashi offers.

"Why that sounds terrific, Kakashi!" Guy says with a huge grin. "How thoughtful of you!"

"It would be thoughtful for you if I was actually talking to you," Kakashi says, messing with him.

Kurenai acts quickly at this and looks annoyingly at Guy.

"Come on, Guy," Kurenai says as she pulls him by the ear. "You're walking me home. Leave Kakashi and Denizu alone for now."

"Awww..." Guy says as he crosses his arms. "Fine... I'll let Kakashi take Denizu out on a dinner date."

Kakashi sighs with a sweatshop as Guy chuckles hysterically. I giggle quietly at them, trying not to make Kakashi feel embarrassed.

"That's enough, from you, Guy," Kurenai says as she begins to walk away, pulling Guy with her by the ear. "Have a nice dinner, you two!" she says as she turns and waves at us with a smile.

"We will!" I say waving back at her in the same way.

Kakashi and I stand there, watching as they turn the corner of the street.

"So what did you want to eat?" Kakashi asks.

"Wow, I'm not sure..." I say with a pensive look. "I haven't had ramen in a long time..."

"I know a place where they make great ramen," Kakashi says as he takes my arm gently and leads me away.

We begin to walk through a street where not many people are out. I stare at Kakashi's arm around mine in wonder and then look up at him with a curious look.

"Kakashi..." I say to him.

"Hm?" he responds not looking at me.

"Why do you like making physical contact with me?"

Kakashi then tenses up as he sweat drops and begins to rub the back of his neck with a nervous smile.

"Well, if it makes you feel uncomfortable, I can stop," he says as he begins to pull his arm away from mine.

"No, not at all," I say, pulling his arm back and getting closer to him. "I enjoy it when you do that..."

I lean on his shoulder as we walk, looking at the ground in shyness

"Well, it makes me happy that you enjoy it," I hear Kakashi say.

I look up at him in surprise and see him smiling down at me through his mask. I then return the warm smile.

"Oh, look, we're here," Kakashi says in surprise. "It was closer than I thought."

"Ichiraku Ramen" I say, reading the sign of the small restaurant.

Kakashi walks over and moves a drape from the entrance. I walk in and he follows right after me. We go and take a seat on the stools at the counter tops.

"What would you like to order?" an elderly man says with a smile from behind the counter.

"I'm not hungry," Kakashi says. "What would you like?" he asks me.

"I'll have the ramen with beef, please," I say.

"Comin' right up!" the old man says with a smile as he begins to prepare the noodles in the pot of hot water.

"Do you come here often?" I ask Kakashi as I lean on the counter top.

"Every once in a while," he responds. "I know someone who comes here regularly, probably every single day."

"Really? Who?" I ask.

"Kakashi sensei!" we hear someone say from behind.

Kakashi and I turn to see the blond haired boy, Naruto, walk in, along with a young girl with short pink hair and green eyes.

"Oh, hey there, Naruto and Sakura," Kakashi says with a calm wave.

"How nice to see you here, Kakashi sensei," Sakura says.

"And he's here with his girlfriend! Did you know Kakashi sensei has a girlfriend?" Naruto asks Sakura.

Sakura turns to look at me and is surprised. Kakashi is a bit flushed at Naruto's statement.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Sakura Haruno," she says while holding a handout for me to shake.

"Hello, nice to meet you," I say with a smile. "I'm Denizu."

"Denizu sensei, to be exact," Kakashi corrects me, pointing at my jonin vest.

I look down at my vest and smile with a sweat drop.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," I say while rubbing the back of my head.

"I'm guessing you already met the knuckle head Naruto," she says.

"Actually, we never did introduce ourselves officially," I say, remembering our first quick encounter.

Sakura slaps Naruto behind the head which surprises me a bit.

"Don't be rude! Introduce yourself!" Sakura says.

"Ouch! Can you hit any harder?" Naruto says as he rubs the spot he was hit.

"If you'd like me to, yes," Sakura answers him, holding up her balled up fist.

"Ahh! Okay, okay!" Naruto says in a panic. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. Future Hokage of the Leaf Village!"

It then strikes me.

'He reminds me so much of the Fourth Hokage...' I think, staring at him in wonder.

"Looks a lot like him, huh?" Kakashi whispers to me as he leans closer, interrupting my thoughts. "We'll talk more about that some other time - not now."

"Say, what are you two love birds whispering about?" Naruto says as he pops his head in between us.

I smile with a sweat drop at him.

"Naruto! That's none of your business!" Sakura says as she pulls Naruto away by the collar and sits him down on a stool to Kakashi's right.

Sakura walks over and sits next to me on my left.

"Two bowls of beef ramen, Ichiraku!" Naruto says with a grin.

"Two bowls it is!" the old man says as he places my bowl of ramen in front of me. "Would like anything Ms. Haruno?"

"Just a bowl of beef ramen, please," Sakura replies.

Ichiraku smiles and begins to boil another set of noodles in the pot after handing Naruto his two bowls of ramen.

"We've never seen you here in the village," Sakura says to me. "Did you just become a jonin?"

"That's partially correct," Kakashi answers. "Denizu is a renewed ninja."

"Wow, and you just jumped back to jonin?" Naruto says in amazement. "You must be a strong ninja!"

"I was already a jonin before," I reply, taking the chopsticks and blowing lightly at the warm noodles.

"Denizu's an Uchiha," Kakashi simply says with a calm tone.

Naruto nearly chokes on his ramen noodles and Sakura just looks at me in surprise. Even Ichiraku is a bit alarmed at this and looks at me in wonder.

"Uchiha?" Naruto exclaims, looking at me in disbelief. "How can you be an Uchiha?"

"Calm down, Naruto," Kakashi says with a stern look and whacking Naruto upside the head. "Don't raise your voice."

"I'm sorry to ask, but..." Sakura asks calmly. "But how is it that you're an Uchiha?"

"No, don't be sorry," I say after eating a few noodles. "It makes sense to ask me."

Naruto and Sakura sit patiently for me to explain.

"I was a ninja of Konoha before my alleged death eleven years ago," I begin to explain.

"Alleged death?" Sakura asks as Ichiraku places her bowl of ramen in front of her.

"Yes, I was kidnapped by Orochimaru when I was 16 while on an ANBU mission."

"Wow! You were in the ANBU at age 16?" Naruto asks.

"Yes, I was," I respond. "When Kakashi and his ANBU attempted to rescue me, a trap had backfired, which led to my disappearance."

"So you went missing for eleven years?" Sakura asks in disbelief.

"Unfortunately..." I say with a smile and sweat drop.

"How'd you end up back here?" Naruto asks.

"I was confronted by two members of the Akatsuki with some tragic news," I say.

"What news?" Naruto asks.

"You're asking too many questions," Kakashi says as he puts a hand on Naruto's head, trying to change the subject.

'He doesn't want me telling them,' I think to myself. 'It makes sense; I don't want them to panic.'

"Regardless of that," Sakura says. "It's good that you ended up here after confronting them. The Akatsuki are dangerous shinobi..."

"Believe me, I know..." I say, remembering my last confrontation with Kisame and Zetsu.

"Do you know Sasuke Uchiha?" Naruto suddenly asks.

"My family was close to his," I answer after slurping up some noodles. "I took his older brother Itachi under my wing and taught him a lot of what I know in terms of ninja skills. I also got to know Sasuke a little because he had joined our training sessions a few times."

"You do know that Itachi joined the Akatsuki after what he did to the Uchiha clan, right?" Sakura says in an unsure tone, trying not to offend me.

I look down at the counter top and stare at it for a moment. Kakashi notices I am thinking a lot about Sakura's question and begins to wonder if I know something.

"Can I ask you for a favor, Denizu sensei?" I hear Naruto ask, interrupting my thoughts.

I turn to him and am surprised to see the serious look on his face.

"Sasuke was a part of our team: Team Kakashi..." Naruto begins to explain. "After leaving with Orochimaru, his whole personality changed... He set his goal on becoming stronger in order to defeat his brother Itachi..."

I watch as he gazes down at the counter top with so much seriousness in his face.

"My goal is to do whatever it takes to bring him back..." Naruto continues.

I turn to my bowl of ramen noodles and stare thoughtfully into it, thinking about Naruto's goal.

"The favor I want to ask you is this..." Naruto says, interrupting my thoughts. "Will you help us find Sasuke and bring him back?"

I turn my eyes to him in surprise at his request. I see his eyes full of determination and seriousness.

"I'll be more than happy to help," I say to him, returning the same gaze.

He watches me with a serious expression, but it then turns into an appreciative smile.

"I can tell you're getting along well with my fellow students," Kakashi says to me with a smile.

"I'm very happy that I am!" I say with a smile after finishing the last of my ramen.

"Well, it looks like you're part of Team Kakashi now!" Sakura says to me with a smile.

"She officially is, actually," Kakashi says. "By permission of Lady Tsunade."

"So now that Denizu sensei is a part of our group..." we hear Naruto say. "Kakashi sensei will be our dad and Denizu will be our mom!"

I look at him in a bit of surprise and see Kakashi frozen in embarrassment.

"Is Kakashi sensei blushing?" Sakura teases.

"He is!" Naruto says as he looks closely at Kakashi's face. "It's good though. It's about freakin' time you get a girl, Kakashi sensei."

I look at Naruto in surprise after hearing his statement.

'So Kakashi hasn't dated?' I think to myself in surprise.

"Come on Denizu," Kakashi says as he leaves money on the counter top and takes my hand. "Let's go..."

I am a bit confused as he leads me out of the restaurant.

"Oooo! They're gonna have their mommy and daddy time!" We hear Naruto say from inside Ichiraku Ramen.

"Do you mind taking care of that, Sakura?" Kakashi says out loud.

"I got you, Kakahsi sensei!" we hear Sakura respond.

We then hear a thud inside the ramen stand and Naruto yelp out in pain.

"Are you sure we should leave them alone?" I ask, looking back at the ramen stand.

"That's completely normal for them," Kakashi says as he continues to pull me with him.

I stare back at the ramen stand in confusion.

"Come on – I want to show you something," Kakashi says as he stops us and holds me a bit close.

We then disappear in a puff of smoke and then reappear inside an apartment. I look around the dark place and see that we're standing in a living room, judging by the furniture and stuff.

"Where are we?" I ask as I look around.

"My place," Kakashi says as he walks over to the light switch and turns it on. "Have a seat and feel right at home. I'll be back..."

With that, Kakashi walks away into a bedroom. I take a seat down on the two seat, dark green sofa and sigh a bit.

'I like Sakura and Naruto very much,' I think to myself as I stare at my lap. 'There's something about Naruto...'

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of Kakashi coming back. I see that he has something in his hand as he takes a seat next to me.

"I saved this for you..." he says as he holds out a picture frame.

I take a look and am surprised: it's a picture of me and my parent's standing together, smiling.

"Kakashi..." I say in a gasp. "I... I haven't seen this in years..."

"You're grandmother let me have the picture before she passed away," Kakashi says.

I stare at the picture as I place a hand on my mouth in disbelief.

"I'd figure you should have it back," Kakashi says with a small smile.

"Kakashi... You have no idea how much this means..." I say with a smile. "I thought I'd never see this picture again..."

I turn to Kakashi with a warm smile of appreciation and then embrace him in my arms. He is more than happy to return it.

"The picture always reminds me of the night I first showed my face to you," Kakashi says. "You're the only one who I ever showed my face to, other than my father."

I pull away from him and look into his eye. He still has his arms around me as we gaze deep into each other's eyes.

"I'd like to have another chance to look at it again..." I say softly to him.

He blinks a bit in surprise, but then gives me a look of approval. I place my left hand on his right cheek as I reach for his headband with my right hand. I slowly begin to push the headband off his left eye, revealing his scarred eye, causing me to remember how he attained the Sharingan. He notices my sad gaze at his eye and knows I'm remembering, so he caresses my cheek lightly. I pull the headband off his head and place it in between us. I then return to his face and gently reach for his mask. He looks into my eyes as I begin to slowly pull his mask down, giving him time to see if he really wants to go through with this. He makes no signs of rejection and continues to look into my eyes. I finally pull the mask all the way down, revealing his handsome, young face. I stare in amazement, thinking about how much his face has matured since the last time I saw it. My eyes scan every detail of his face and then meet his eyes again as he leans in closer to mine. I feel his hot breath against my lips as I feel my heart beat slightly faster. We close our eyes and our lips meet. We begin to kiss slowly, trying to make sure both of us are comfortable with this. Without leaving his lips, I carefully place the picture of me and my parents on his black coffee table. Kakashi then scoots himself closer as I reach for the zipper of my vest. I unzip it as we continue to kiss one another and manage to take it off and let it drop to the floor. Kakashi separates from me, reaches for the zipper on his vest, takes it off, and tosses it to the floor before going back to kissing me. He gently pushes me down on the couch, now completely over me. I wrap my right arm around his neck while caressing his face with my left hand. He puts his hands on the couch to support himself over me as he gently presses his body against mine. I run my fingers through his soft, silver hair as I push his head closer to mine to deepen the kiss. Before going any further, I suddenly feel him pull away.

"I'm sorry," Kakashi says as he sits back on the couch. "I can't do this..."

I look at him in confusion as he buries his left hand in his face.

"Kakashi..." I say reaching to grab his arm.

"No, please leave," he says, pulling away from me.

I give him a hurtful look as I feel tears form in my eyes. I grab my picture frame and vest, get up from the couch, and head for the door. Before walking out, I stop and turn my head slightly toward him.

"You shouldn't be afraid..." I say with tears rolling down my face.

I then walk out and close the door after me. Kakashi sits there, having heard my words with sadness in my voice. He digs his hands roughly through his hair and sighs heavily as he gets up and throws his vest hard across the room.


	10. Chapter 10

Part Ten

I decided not to let Kurenai know about the incident between me and Kakashi. I didn't want her seeing Kakashi in a bad way. It was best that I remain silent about the matter until it's somehow resolved. After I arrived at Kurenai's apartment from Kakashi's, I went straight to my bedroom and cried myself to sleep.

It's some time in the morning. I am currently outside of Konoha on an errand for Tsunade. I needed to drop off some herbs in a nearby village a little over an hour away. I'm close to approaching the Leaf village.

'What exactly is going on with Kakashi?' I think to myself as I stare at the ground while walking. 'I don't know what to make of all that he's been doing... I understand if he's still having trouble processing the fact that I'm still alive...'

I close my eyes and sigh as I tilt my head up. I listen to the sounds of birds chirping somewhere in the forest nearby. I then open my eyes and stare up at the sky with a small smile.

"I'm going to confess to him..." I say, gazing into the bright blue sky.

I watch two birds fly across the sky next to one another.

'I'm going to confess that I'm in love with him,' I think to myself with a warm smile across my face. 'He has to hear the words come out of my mouth.'

I chuckle a bit at the thought and begin to run toward the direction of Konoha. After a few minutes, I reach a jonin scouting area. My eyes widen in shock as I see a handful of jonin on the ground, motionless. I stand over their bodies, examining that they have been impaled with something through their chests.

'What happened here?' I ask myself while gazing down at the bodies.

I am then alarmed at the sounds of explosions from inside the village walls. I head inside the village, and to my shock, I see dozens of buildings destroyed. Villagers scatter about in panic and people are lying dead under pieces of ruble. Fellow shinobi are also lying about, their corpses mangled on fallen and destroyed concrete walls.

"What the...hell is happening?" I say to myself in shock.

A loud scream of a little girl catches my attention. I quickly turn to my right and see what appears to be a giant orange and dark grey centipede approaching a little girl and an injured mother. Without thinking twice, I move as fast as possible toward the giant centipede creature. I quickly perform a few hand signs and hold my hand up to my mouth. I jump high up in the air while taking in some air and exhale a large ball of fire. It hits the creature head on, sending it flying back into a pile of concrete. The fire ball then consumes the creature fully, burning it completely as it shrieks in pain before collapsing. I then turn my attention to the little girl and mother; the woman is on the ground, bleeding from her knee.

"Can you stand up at all?" I ask her as I kneel down to her.

"Just a little," she answers, wincing at her slight movement.

I put her arm over my shoulder and steadily stand her up.

"Is my mommy going to be ok?" the little girl asks with tears in her eyes.

"Don't worry; we'll find her some treatment," I say to her as I pull out a long dark cloth from my jacket and tie it around the woman's knee. "That should calm the bleeding down a bit."

I lead them around the corner of a damaged building, being careful not to strain the woman's knee so much. I look around and see no signs of any medical ninja.

'Damn it...' I think to myself. 'She can't be walking much; otherwise her knee will suffer more.'

I then close my eyes for a moment and reopen them with my Sharingan activated.

'I'll have to use Space–Time Migration,' I think to myself.

I take a hold of the little girl's hand.

"We're going to take a short cut," I say to her with a friendly smile. "Don't be frightened by it; just remain calm."

She looks up at me and nods. I then activate my Sharingan's Space–Time Migration jutsu. My right eye begins to draw the three of us inward in a swirl and distort our form until we disappear. In less than a few seconds, we reappear in that same reversed effect in front of a hospital facility near the village's evacuation site. A few of the people there witness our arrival and watch in disbelief at how we appear.

"Take this woman to medical attention," I say to a jonin who is looking at me in disbelief as he looks into my Sharingan eyes.

He snaps out of it and takes the woman carefully from me. Before heading out again with my Space–Time Migration, I feel a tug on my vest from behind. I turn to the woman's little girl.

"Thank you so much for saving my mommy," she says with tears of appreciation in her eyes.

"It's no problem," I say to her with a smile. "That's what I'm here for."

I then step back from her, give her a friendly smile, and disappear with my Space–Time Migration jutsu. I reappear somewhere in the village with buildings on fire and pieces of ruble everywhere. I quickly move down the street at full speed, looking for anyone who is hurt or in danger.

"Someone, please help us!" I hear a little boy call out.

I stop in my steps and quickly sprint toward the direction of the boy's voice. Upon finding his location, I see him and a younger girl huddling on the corner of an alley as a huge orange and dark spider-like creature approaches them from above. They cry and shriek out in terror. I sprint toward the spider and quickly concentrate chakra on the bottom of my feet and stand on the wall, facing the creature. I quickly perform hand signs, hold my hand up to my mouth, and breathe out a stream of fire. The spider creature is sent flying upward into the air. I quickly pull out my katana from its case, jump up high in front of it, and cut straight through the spider's abdomen. The two pieces of its body fly in separate directions. I land in front of the two children and place my katana away in its case on my back.

"Come on," I say to them while holding my hands out to them.

"My sister can't walk!" the little boy says with tears rolling down his face. "She twisted her ankle."

I look down at her and she looks up at me with tears.

"Don't worry," I say as I kneel down to her. "I'll carry you on my back."

I turn myself slightly and assist her as she places herself on my back.

"Hold on to my katana in case you lose your balance," I tell her.

I then turn to the boy and hold my hand out to him. He takes it and we move quickly out of the alley. I turn to my left and spot Sakura with a child in her arms and an old woman beside them. She looks at me in relief as she approaches me with the old woman and child. I approach her as well, but I then spot another creature approaching them from behind.

"Sakura!" I yell.

She turns around and sees the creature. I quickly activate my Mangekyō Sharingan and concentrate on the center point of the creature's body.

"Amaterasu!" I say aloud.

Suddenly, black flames appear on the creature. It shrieks out in pain as it squirms about in panic. Sakura is surprised but quickly moves toward me with the old woman and the child in her arms.

"Thank you," Sakura says to me, a bit surprised to see my Mangekyō Sharingan

"Please explain to me what's happening," I say to her, deactivating my Mangekyō Sharingan to my normal Sharingan.

"Some members of the Akatsuki have invaded the village," she replies.

'So they've finally chosen to invade,' I think to myself.

"They attacked us unexpectedly less than half an hour ago," Sakura continues. "I'm out here, trying to find any wounded people while the others are helping evacuate the people and fight off some of the enemies."

"Are you a part of the medical ninja group?"

"Yes."

"You should be at the hospital facility helping the medical ninja with the wounded. It's best you stay with them."

"Do you know a short cut to the hospital facility in the evacuation site?"

"I'll use my Sharingan to teleport us there," I say, adjusting the little girl on my back a bit.

Sakura is a bit confused at my statement.

"I need you all to hold on to one another," I say to everyone.

They all nod. I activate my Space–Time Migration jutsu and teleport us to the evacuation site. We appear inside the underground hospital facility. Sakura, the old woman, and the children look amazed and puzzled at my jutsu. I then feel my eyes sting a bit and I grimace a bit in pain. I shake it off quickly and ignore it.

"Take these villagers," I say to a nearby medical ninja. "Sakura will help you attend to them."

The medic nods as he takes the little girl from me. I turn to Sakura and place a hand on her shoulder.

"Continue your job here, Sakura," I say, looking into her eyes with utmost trust. "Attend to them while the rest of us attend to the enemy in the dangers outside."

She gives me a determined look and nods. I smile at her before disappearing again with my Space–Time Migration jutsu, still ignoring the slight pain. I appear in another street of the village, finding burning buildings and damage again. I sprint through the streets, trying to find anyone in need of help.

'I hope Kakashi is all right...' I think to myself in worry. 'Where could he be?'

I then hear the sounds of a man yelping in pain. I stop and listen to locate where the man is. Hearing it again, I turn to a street and see a familiar jonin under a pile of rubble. Approaching him is another giant centipede.

"Aoba!" I say aloud.

I perform a few hand signs and hold my hand in front of my mouth. I exhale some fireballs at high speeds at the centipede. They hit it hard, causing it to shriek and pull back. I sprint and jump toward the creature, pulling out my katana. I breathe fire onto my blade and slash through the body of the centipede, decapitating it. The flame from the blade then consumes both pieces of the centipede. I land on my feet and make my way toward Aoba while putting my katana away.

"Aoba!" I say in concern as I push a piece of building rubble off his legs.

"Thank you, Denizu," he says with a grimace of pain as he attempts to move his leg.

"No, don't try to move," I say as I kneel down to him, gently keeping his leg down.

"That's the enemy," Aoba says as he points upward into the air.

I turn around and see a man with spiky orange hair in an Akatsuki cloak, suspended in midair. My Sharingan foresees his attack, and my eyes widen in horror. I then turn to Aoba, take a hold of him, and use my Space–Time Migration jutsu. I teleport us into a pocket dimension. Aoba looks around and is puzzled at our location.

"Where are we?" he asks with a grimace of pain.

I stand there, a blank and wide eyed look only on my face as I then collapse on my knees. I bury my face in my hands and begin to tremble.

"Denizu, what's wrong?" Aoba asks with concern.

"The village..." I mutter to him, my face still buried in my hands. "It's completely destroyed..."

Aoba looks at me in surprise.

"Wh–What?" he asks in disbelief.

"The Akatsuki member you spotted..." I say with a tremble in my voice. "He destroyed the village..."

I begin to cry softly.

'Kakashi...are you all right?' I think to myself in worry.

"Denizu..." I hear Aoba say.

I turn to him with teary eyes.

"What did you see?" he asks.

"The Akatsuki member used some sort of gravitational force..." I reply to him, trying to hold back more tears. "It pushed the entire village into a huge mess..."

I sit up and gaze down in sorrow. I then feel Aoba place his hand on my shoulder.

"It's unbelievable, I know..." he says. "But we're going to have to go back and see if we can help somehow..."

"You're right," I say, rubbing my eyes clean. "We need to find the others."

I kneel over to Aoba and take a hold of his shoulder and activate my Space–Time Migration jutsu. I teleport us back to the village, or at least what's left of it. We look around in surprise and see piles and piles of concrete everywhere. Pieces of buildings are scattered about.

"Aoba! Denizu!" We hear someone call from behind us.

We turn and see Guy walking toward us, a bit injured.

"Guy," I say in surprise and worry. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, just a bruised up arm and leg," he responds. "How are you guys?"

"I'm fine," I reply. "But Aoba's leg is seriously injured."

"Let's help him up," Guy says as he kneels down to Aoba.

I reach over and help Guy lift Aoba up from the ground. Aoba grimaces a bit in pain as Guy and I hold him up from his sides, putting his arms over our shoulders.

"Let's look around to see if we can find anyone else to help," Guy says as we begin to walk.

We walk through the many large pieces of concrete and ruble, being careful with Aoba.

'Where are you, Kakashi?' I think to myself. 'I'm sure he's fine; he knows how to take care of himself.'

We then hear an explosion from afar. Guy lets me carry Aoba and climbs on top of a large piece of concrete to try and locate where the explosion came from. Guy looks around and spots its location.

"Looks like there's a big fight going on," Guy says.

"Who's fighting?" I ask from below, holding Aoba up.

"I don't know," he replies. "But whoever it is, they've left the village."

Guy moves back down toward me and Aoba. We make our way through the concrete mess slowly so that Aoba doesn't feel as much pain in his leg. We walk for about 10 minutes trying to find anyone we know or anyone alive in the ruble and concrete. After a few minutes of walking, we decided to take a rest. Guy and I carefully place Aoba on a large piece of concrete. Guy walks forward away from us and stands there in thought, gazing all around at what's happened to the village.

"Guy..." I say to him in a low voice as I stand next to him. "Did you happen to see Kakashi?"

"Before this mess, no," he replies. "I did, however, see him this morning..."

I gaze down at the ground in disappointment and worry.

"He talked with me about what happened between you and him last night..." Guy says.

I look up at him in surprise.

"You have no idea how bad he was feeling..." Guy continues. "I have never seen him that upset... I know you know him better at a different level and relationship..."

He then turns his gaze at me and places his hands on my shoulders.

"But I know for a fact that he truly cares about you," Guy continues. "It's not my right to tell you how he really feels... But because of his torment of guilt, he can't tell you..."

"Torment of guilt?" I say in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Kakashi blamed himself for what had happened to you. He believes it was his fault that Orochimaru kidnapped you."

I stare at him in surprise.

"For the past eleven years and even now, Kakashi has lived in guilt, blaming himself for how you ended up," Guy continues. "He believes he doesn't deserve you now..."

I slowly turn my gaze down in complete disbelief.

"I can't tell you any more than that," Guy says as he lets go of my shoulders. "The rest Kakashi has to tell you himself."

"I understand," I say.

"My advice is for both of you to do it as soon as possible. Otherwise, it can affect both of you in a negative way."

I look up at him and give him a small, warm smile.

"Thank you, Guy," I say to him. "Kakashi and I are lucky to have you as a friend."

Guy is a bit surprised at my statement but then smiles back.

"Denizu sensei! Guy sensei!" we hear someone call out to us.

We turn and see Sakura running quickly toward us.

"Sakura!" I say in relief.

"How did you manage to evade the gravitational push of the enemy?" Guy asks.

"Lady Tsunade sent out multiple clones of her slug, Katsuyu, out to protect those she could find from the blast," Sakura answers.

She then turns to me with a sad gaze.

"Guy sensei... You need to come with me..." Sakura says in a low voice.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Guy asks, noticing the sadness in her appearance and voice.

"It's about Kakashi sensei..." Sakura replies, sadly gazing down.

'Kakashi?' I think to myself as I hear her say his name.

"Where is he?" Guy asks.

"He's with Choji and the rest, over that pile of rubble I came from," she replies.

Without saying anything, I quickly sprint over to the area she just told Guy.

"Denizu sensei!" Sakura says in a panic.

I ignore her call and continue to move and jump over the large pile of rubble. I approach a group of other shinobi, gathered around someone's body on the ground with sad expressions on their faces.

"Denizu!" I hear Guy sensei say from behind me.

I ignore his call and quickly move toward the group. They are surprised to see me and back away as I approach them. I stop dead in my tracks as I gaze down at the body. I feel my body begin to tense up in disbelief as I see Kakashi's motionless body on the ground.

"Kakashi?" I mutter with disbelief.

I slowly kneel next to his body, gazing down and looking at his condition. My eyes scan him, seeing the blood on his forehead where his headband is missing. His face and the rest of his body looks worn out from a harsh fight. I then look at his face again, seeing his eyes closed, again noting his motionless body. I place my hand over his forehead and move some of his messy silver hair out of the way, but see that he doesn't respond. Guy and the rest stare down at me with sorrow in their eyes.

"Kakashi..." I say, leaning in closer to him. "No..."

I begin to cry as I lift him up a bit and hold his head close to my chest. I bury my face into the side of his face, tears rapidly running out of my eyes.

"No, Kakashi, no..." I quietly sob into his ear.

Kakashi sits on a log in an area of darkness that's lighted a bit only by a small fire. Next to him is a man of older age. Like Kakashi, he possesses the same silver-colored spiky hair with the addition of a long ponytail and a mess of hair on his head hanging over his forehead protector. His facial features are more distinguished compared to Kakashi's visible ones.

"Tell me, father..." Kakashi says, breaking the silence. "Do you remember Denizu Uchiha?"

"Of course I do," his father answers. "How can I forget her? She was a prodigy of the Uchiha clan and well known for her abilities as a kunoichi... I was very good friends with her father."

"Yes, I know..."

"I remember the day you first met Denizu..." his father says, gazing into the fire.

Kakashi sits there, gazing at the flames.

FLASHBACK: 21 YEARS AGO

Kakashi is training in the backyard of his house. He was practicing his target accuracy by throwing kunai and shuriken at four circular targets. He finishes throwing all of the kunai and shuriken he has, and stands there, staring at his progress.

"Kakashi!" he hears someone call out to him.

Kakashi turns and sees his father holding the back door of their house open.

"That's enough practice for now," his father says. "Come inside; there's someone I want you to meet."

Kakashi is a bit surprised and walks over to him. He enters the house and follows his father to the living room.

"Kohaku, my son is here," Kakashi's father says.

Kakashi enters the living and sees a slightly tanned skin toned man with black hair messily over his Konoha head band wearing a black vest with the Uchiha crest on the upper left of it.

"Kakashi," the man says with a friendly smile. "How nice to see you."

"Hello, Kohaku sensei," Kakashi says with respect. "Nice to see you as well."

"I've come to talk to your father, Sakumo, about some serious matters," Kohaku says. "If you don't mind, please keep my daughter Denizu some company."

Kohaku moves to the side a bit, revealing me behind him. I look up from the floor and gaze at Kakashi shyly.

"I need to have another pep talk with your father before taking Denizu to celebrate her graduation from the academy with our family," my father says.

Kakashi gazes at me with a blank look.

"Come on," Kakashi says, motioning me with his hand to follow him as he turns and begins to walk.

I give him a look of wonder and then quickly walk over and follow him. We head to the back door and walk out into the backyard. I spot the targets with kunai and shuriken embedded in them. Kakashi walks over to them and begins to pull them out.

"So you've just graduated..." Kakashi says as he pulls a kunai out of the target. "You look pretty young to have graduated already. How old are you?"

"I'm five years old," I say a bit shyly.

Kakashi turns to me in surprise.

"That's a young age to graduate," Kakashi says as he pulls another shuriken out of a target.

"You also graduated from the academy when you were five, right?" I ask a bit timidly.

"Yes, I did," Kakashi says, pulling out the last kunai from the fourth target.

I stand there, gazing at the ground.

"I'd like to see your skills," Kakashi says as he stands next to me. "I'll show you what I've got first."

He takes a few shuriken and kunai in his hands and stands in ready position as he looks at the targets. He runs and jumps up in the air and throws all of his kunai and shuriken at the targets. They all hit them perfectly at the bull's-eye of each target. Kakashi lands on his feet, gazing at his work.

"Now it's your turn," Kakashi says as he turns and walks over to me. "I want to see if you can match up to my skills when I was your age after graduating from the academy."

I look at him blankly as he stands about a foot to my right. Turning to the targets, I nod. I run forward and quickly perform some hand signs. I then jump high in the air while taking a few kunai and shuriken out from my pouches and throw them at the direction of the targets. After inhaling some air, I blow small balls of fire at the kunai and shuriken, covering them up with the flames. They then hit the bull's-eye of every target perfectly and then cause the targets to burn up in flames. I land on my feet about two feet in front of him and gaze timidly at the burning targets.

"I'm so sorry!" I say, turning to Kakashi with an apologetic look. "I'm very sorry for burning your targets up! I'll tell my father and he'll give you new ones!"

Kakashi stands there staring at the burning targets in amazement.

"No, it's fine..." Kakashi says in disbelief, still gazing at the targets. "I told you to show me if you can match up to my skills, and you showed me that you can surpass them..."

I look at Kakashi in surprise at his words. He then turns his gaze to me.

"You have some skills," he says with a much friendlier tone than he had before. "I'd like to see more of them."

My eyes gaze at him in complete surprise after hearing his words. We stand there and stare into each other's eyes in wonder.

END OF FLASHBACK

Kakashi continues to gaze into the flames, reflecting back on the memory.

"Did you know that Denizu wanted to meet you badly that day?" Sakumo says.

Kakashi looks over at his father in surprise.

"Kohaku had told me that Denizu wanted to meet you the day she graduated from the academy," Sakumo continues. "He always told me how much she looked up to you. He emphasized that you were her inspiration."

Kakashi stares at his father in disbelief.

"She was determined to also meet your skills as a ninja," Sakumo continues. "She wanted you to take notice of her skills and befriend you."

"She has surpassed my skills," Kakashi says. "She has always been a greater ninja than me... Both in skills and heart."

Sakumo stares at Kakashi thoughtfully. Suddenly, a ray of green light shoots down and consumes Kakashi. They are both surprised at it.

"Looks like it's not your time to go yet," Sakumo says.

Both Kakashi and Sakumo stand up.

"It makes me happy to know that you have forgiven me, Kakashi," Sakumo says. "I can now join your mother in peace..."

Kakashi looks at his father with affection in his eyes. Sakumo begins to walk into the darkness, but then stops and turns to Kakashi.

"Don't be afraid to show your love to Denizu..." Sakumo says. "Don't let guilt consume you like it did to me. You both need each other's love more than anything."

Kakashi stares at his father in surprise after hearing his words. Sakumo gives Kakashi one last smile before turning and fading away.

"Thank you, father..." Kakashi says as he's slowly being pulled away by the green ray of light that's consuming him.

He is pulled through the darkness and closes his eyes as he moves into bright light. After a few seconds of being consumed in the light, he slowly opens his eyes. His vision blurs a bit, so he blinks a few times to try and clear up his vision. He sees someone with black hair gazing down at him. After a few more blinks, his vision finally clears. He sees me staring down at him with tears in my eyes.

"Denizu?" he says in a weak voice.

"I'm here, Kakashi," I say with tears of joy as I put my hand on his cheek.

He breathes calmly and looks into my eyes with affection. He then slowly sits up and looks around in surprise.

"What happened?" Kakashi asks.

"I believe Naruto has finally put an end to this," Sakura says with happiness in her voice.

"Where is he?" Kakashi asks, getting up.

I help him get up, making sure he is well.

"He's up somewhere in the forest of the mountain side where the enemy was hiding," a young man wearing a jonin vest and dark hair in a short ponytail says.

Kakashi then turns to me and leans closer to my face.

"I have to go," Kakashi whispers to me as he takes a hold of my face. "I'll be back with you soon."

I nod with a look of comprehension. He gazes at me with a warm look in his eyes before letting go of me and heading off.

"This may not be the right time, but..." I hear the young man in the jonin vest and dark hair in a ponytail say to me. "Are you the new jonin everyone's been talking about?"

I look at him in surprise.

"Yes, I'm Denizu Uchiha," I reply.

Everyone is a bit surprised to hear me say my last name. I look at them in a bit of wonder, but then remember why they're staring at me like that and smile with a sweat drop.

"Oh yea, I forgot that being an Uchiha at this time is unbelievable," I say, rubbing the back of my head.

"I've heard great things about you from my father," the young man with dark hair tied in a ponytail says. "I'm Shikamaru Nara; nice to finally meet you," he says as he shakes my hand.

"And I'm Choji Akimichi," another young man says with excitement as he shakes my hand. "I've also heard great things about you!"

"It's a pleasure or meet you both," I say to them with a friendly smile.

"Hey guys!" we hear someone call out to us.

We turn and see a young girl with long blonde hair in a ponytail waving at us from afar.

"It's Ino," Choji says.

"Come on! The whole village is going to wait for Naruto over here!" Ino says again.

"All right!" Choji says as he runs off.

Sakura runs off with Choji. Shikamaru is about to also take off with them, but then turns to me.

"Aren't you coming, Denizu sensei?" he asks.

I then turn to see Guy helping Aoba over.

"I'll be there," I say to him with a smile. "I'm going to help Guy and Aoba."

He nods with a smile and then takes off.

"Let me help," I say as I take Aoba's other arm and put it over my shoulder.

"It's going to be a mission getting him over all that concrete..." Guy says as he glances over at the hill of ruble. "He'll mess up leg even more."

"It's all right," I say to him. "I can get us there."

Guy looks at me in surprise as I activate my Sharingan. I activate my Space–Time Migration jutsu and teleport us near the area the whole village is awaiting Naruto's return. Once again I ignore the slight sting in my eyes.

"Was that your Space–Time Migration jutsu?" Guy asks, a bit puzzled.

"Yeah," I answer him as we begin to walk toward the front of the crowd.

"She can also take us into some other dimension," Aoba suddenly adds.

"Wha?" Guy says in confusion.

I smile at him with a sweat drop as we stop in front of the crowd near the front of the forest. The whole village suddenly begins to uproar in cheers of excitement. We turn and see Kakashi carrying Naruto on his back as he walks out of the forest area and in the view of the crowd. Naruto has a surprised look on his face as he gazes on to the cheering people. Kakashi then lets him stand on his own. Naruto walks forward to the crowd with a dumbfounded look at the cheering of the people. A small group of people then begins to run toward Naruto in excitement and begins to question him and congratulate him in happiness. Sakura then walks up to Naruto with a serious look and punches him in the stomach. Naruto is surprised as he flinches forward from the punch, but Sakura then embraces him. They both stand there, having their moment as close team mates and friends. I smile warmly at them as they hug one another. I then turn my attention to Kakashi, who is staring at me. I see that he has covered his face again with his head band. He then holds his hand out to me. I turn to Guy and Aoba with a look of permission, and they nod with a smile. I carefully let go of Aoba and let Guy help him stand up. Turning to Kakashi, I walk over to him quickly and wrap my arms around his neck in an embrace. He wraps his arms around me and holds me close as well.

"I thought you were gone..." I whisper into his ear.

"I'm glad I'm not..." Kakashi whispers. "Because I have so much to tell you..."

"I'm happy to know that we've both come to terms with that."

After a few seconds, we pull apart and give each other an affectionate gaze. He takes my hand and we both turn to see a group of people lifting Naruto up high in the air in cheers. I lean my head on the side of Kakashi's shoulder and gaze at the happiness of the villagers as we lace our fingers firmly together.


	11. Chapter 11

Part Eleven

Since yesterday, everyone has been out, starting to repair the damage to the village. Lady Tsunade suffered a hard blow from the member of the Akatsuki and is now in a comatose state. The village is in ruins and we don't know when Tsunade will awaken. We're having a hard time trying to figure out what action to take.

I'm in a large tent with Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and Shizune. Lady Tsunade is lying on a mat in a coma. Sakura is kneeling next to her with Shizune, making sure she is doing well.

"Lady Tsunade used Katsuyu's jutsu to protect everyone in the village," Sakura says as she looks down at Tsuande. "She's been unconscious ever since. We honestly don't know when she'll regain consciousness."

We all stare down in worry at Tsunade.

"Granny Tsunade..." Naruto mutters to himself as he gazes down at her with worry.

Sakura sighs and stands up.

"I'm going to get some more water," Sakura says as she heads over to two large bottle containers and heads out of the tent.

"Sakura, wait!" Naruto says as he runs after her. "I'll help you!"

Kakashi and I walk out of the tent where Sakura and Naruto headed out from. We both stare after Sakura and Naruto as they walk next to each other.

"Don't get the wrong idea," Sakura says to Naruto. "I'm only going with you because knowing you, who knows where you'll get the water from."

"Can't you trust me a little more than that?" Naruto asks as he scratches the back of his head.

Kakashi gazes at them in wonder. I look over at Kakashi and see him in deep thought.

"Enjoying seeing them together?" I ask him with a smile.

He looks over at me in surprise, snapping out of his thoughts.

"Oh, I'm just remembering how these two were when they were younger," Kakashi says, looking back at Naruto and Sakura. "They've grown so much since then..."

"I'd like to get to know the history of your team better," I say a bit shyly while looking down at the ground. "If you don't mind..."

"You're a part of our team," Kakashi says. "Of course I don't mind."

I look up at him and his warm gaze meets mine.

"Let's take a walk while I tell you," Kakashi says as he motions for me to follow him.

We begin to walk down the path through the commotion of the villagers rebuilding. I walk closely on Kakashi's right side.

"So how did you first approach it when you found out you were going to be their sensei?" I ask.

"I was a bit weary about it, to be honest," Kakashi answers. "I knew Naruto was a troublemaker. With Sasuke on the same team, it would be even more trouble since they didn't get along."

We walk past some men carrying long pieces of wood toward other men.

"I kept a close eye on them to study their behaviors," Kakashi continues. "It may sound odd, but I even snuck into Naruto's room."

"It's not odd," I say. "It's essential to take measures of that sort to get to know your students."

"Exactly. And that's what I did. I then proceeded to my test in order to see if they will pass as my official students."

"What kind of test did you give them?"

"A bell test. I only had two bells that they had to obtain."

"Only two bells?"

"It was to make them work together as a team. They failed at first, but I decided to give them a second chance after seeing their determination. They ended up passing and, therefore, becoming my students, forming Team 7."

"Was your training based on your former sensei, the Fourth Hokage?"

"That was a big part of it. My experience with my team under my sensei's teaching has had a great influence on my own teaching."

"I'm sure the Fourth Hokage and your teammates, especially Obito, would be proud of you, Kakashi," I say.

Kakashi turns to me and sees me smiling warmly up at him. A small smile appears under his mask as well. We proceed to walk calmly together, keeping our gaze straight ahead.

"Do you remember when we used to train together?" Kakashi asks out of the blue.

"Yes, I do," I reply with a small smile. "That's how I met your team, Obito, Rin, and Minato sensei."

Kakashi and I stay quiet for a moment as we reminisce our past.

FLASHBACK: 17 YEARS AGO

Kakashi and I stand about 10 feet from one another. We stare at each other for a bit in silence in the clear field of a training area.

"As always, Denizu," Kakashi says. "Don't hold back."

I give him a smirk. After a few seconds, Kakashi pulls out some kunai from his pouch and throws them at me. I jump from side to side, dodging them, and run quickly at him. I throw a punch at him and he dodges it. I quickly jump up and try to kick him in the face, but he blocks it with his forearms, sending him sliding back a few feet. He moves his arms out of the way and looks up. I'm in the air and throw shuriken at him. He quickly jumps back some five feet away. I lunge at him quickly and we begin to fight hand-to-hand combat. I crouch down and hold out my leg and sweep him off his feet, causing him to fall down. He rolls over a few times and jumps back. We stand a few feet away from one another.

"You're not using your Sharingan, again," Kakashi says. "Why aren't you?"

"It wouldn't be fair," I reply. "I haven't told you this, but I don't use my Sharingan abilities against my comrades, especially to my closest ones."

Kakashi is surprised at my words. I gaze at him with a warm smile as I place my hands behind my back. After a few seconds, his surprised look then turns into a happy one.

"Aww, look at Kakashi getting all warm and fuzzy with Denizu!" we hear a familiar voice say.

We turn and see a grinning boy with black spiky hair lying messily over his headband. He gazes at us through his goggles as another girl walks behind him with dark brown hair. They both walk toward us with smiles on their faces.

"Please don't tease, Obito," Kakashi says, giving the black haired boy an annoyed look.

"What?" Obito says as he walks up to Kakashi. "Don't deny your love for Denizu, Kakashi!"

"Can you be quiet already?" Kakashi says, giving him an annoyed look.

"Hey! Don't get mad at me because it's true!" Obito says, throwing his arms in the air.

"Now, now, guys," the dark brown haired girl says as she pushes them away from one another. "Sensei will be here any second now."

"And here I am," we hear a man say.

We turn and see a fairly tall, fair-skinned man with bright blue-eyes and spiky, jaw-length, blond hair bangs framing the sides of his face. He wears a short-sleeved, long, white coat, decorated by flames on the edges, over standard Konoha-nin uniform with two bands on both of his sleeves and a jonin vest.

"Minato sensei," Rin says in surprise.

"Thank you for keeping these two under control, Rin," Minato says with a smile as he approaches us. "What were they fighting about this time?"

"Kakashi is denying his crush on Denizu!" Obito blurts out.

Minato looks over at me in surprise.

"Denizu, is this true?" Minato asks.

"I can't answer that, Minato sensei," I reply, lightly blushing. "It's Kakashi's job to do so."

Minato looks over at Kakashi.

"Well, Kakashi?" Minato asks, putting a hand on his hip. "Is this true?"

"Obito is being absurd," Kakashi says. "You know his many lies."

I am a bit shocked at Kakashi's answer.

'Lies?' I think to myself.

I gaze down at the ground in sadness. Minato turns to me with a sad look.

"I'm treating you guys to some ramen," Minato says.

"Really, Minato sensei?" Obito asks in excitement.

"Yup!" Minato says with a smile.

Minato then turns to my direction and sees me walking away.

"You're not going to join, Denizu?" Minato asks.

"No, I'm not hungry," I say turning to him with a sad gaze. "Thank you, though, Minato sensei."

Kakashi gazes at me with a sad look as he sees my hurt expression. I then turn around and head away.

"All right, then," Minato says, a bit sad that I can't join them. "Let's go get some ramen."

"Yeah!" Obito says as he begins to walk away.

Minato and Obito begin to follow him, but they then notice that Kakashi isn't following. Minato turns to Kakashi in surprise and sees that he's staring sternly at the ground. Knowing what's wrong, he walks over to Kakashi.

"Aren't you coming, Minato sensei?" Rin asks.

"Yeah, you too, Kakashi!" Obito calls out.

"You guys go on ahead," Minato says. "We'll catch up with you guys in a bit."

"All right! Don't take so long!" Obito says as he waves at them.

Rin and Obito head off, leaving Kakashi and Minato alone in the small training ground field. Kakashi keeps his stern gaze down at the ground. Minato stares at him.

"It's bad to deny your feelings for someone," Minato says.

Kakashi doesn't look at him.

"You'll only end up hurting that person's feelings and your own," Minato continues.

"You don't understand Minato sensei..." Kakashi says in a low voice. "It's difficult for me to accept those feelings..."

Minato looks at Kakashi in a bit of surprise, but he then gives him a look of comprehension.

"I understand," Minato says. "But don't say or do anything that can hurt her."

Minato then puts a hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

"Don't be afraid of loving her and expressing it," Minato says.

Kakashi looks up at him in surprise. Minato gazes down at Kakashi with a warm smile. Kakashi's surprised expression then turns into a small smile.

"Thank you, sensei," Kakashi says.

END OF FLASHBACK

Kakashi and I continue to walk together at a calm pace.

"That day when I denied Obito's teasing about my feelings for you," Kakashi says, breaking the silence. "I was angry with myself for having made you feel bad... I just hope you'll forgive me for that."

"You know I'll always forgive you, Kakashi," I say. "I forgave you that same day, to be honest."

Kakashi looks over at me in surprise. I look at him with a warm smile.

'She really deserves to know...' Kakashi thinks to himself as he stares at me.

"Say, Kakashi..." I say, interrupting his thoughts.

"Hm?"

"So Naruto is the Fourth Hokage's son, right?" I say.

"Oh, yes," he says, rubbing the back of his neck with a smile. "I forgot I needed to talk to you about it."

"And he possesses the Nine–Tailed Fox demon, correct?"

"Yes."

I look up a bit in thought.

"Ah, yes... It's all coming back to me now..." I say. "I remember when many people looked down at him when he was very young... It's amazing to see him now and see how he's changed the hearts of the villagers... I'm sure he's come a long way."

"A very long way," Kakashi says. "As his sensei, I have seen his progress grow a lot. I'm going to have him and Sakura do the bell test again to test their teamwork. I want to see how far they have both come up until now."

He then pulls out two small bells attached to red thread.

"When will that be?"

"Soon," he answers, shaking the bells a bit.

He then puts them back in his pocket.

"I also want to apologize..." Kakashi says.

I turn to him in a confused expression.

"I'm very sorry for what had occurred the other night before all of this mess," Kakashi says. "I'm glad that I'm here; otherwise, guilt would have stayed with me forever..."

"Kakashi..." I say to him in a low tone. "You don't have to feel guilty for that-"

"It's not mainly about that night..." Kakashi interrupts me.

I look at I'm in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" I ask him.

He stops and looks around us.

"Let's not talk about it here," he says.

He then takes my hand and leads me into the forest. We walk deep enough to hide from everyone and have our privacy. Kakashi then jumps onto a tree branch and sits. He looks down at me and pats a space next to him. I jump onto the tree branch and sit beside him. We both gaze at different things as we feel the light breeze of the wind.

"There's a guilt that has consumed me since the day you disappeared..." Kakashi begins.

I look at him in surprise.

"I felt that it was my fault you were kidnapped by Orochimaru," Kakashi continues. "If I had stayed with you on the same team and stopped you from moving on, I would have prevented what happened to you..."

I stare at Kakashi with sadness.

"I was angry with myself at the fact that I never did tell you how I felt... How I feel now," Kakashi says, turning his gaze to me. "Because of that, I don't deserve you."

"You don't have to feel guilty about it," I say. "It wasn't your fault that I was kidnapped and ended up missing for eleven years. In fact, I also felt guilty for not having let you know my feelings for you. I'm sorry for not coming back sooner... But know this..." I say as I take a hold of his face with my left hand. "Don't say that you don't deserve me. You've always been there for me. Ever since I was a child, you were my inspiration, Kakashi."

Kakashi then remembers the conversation he had with his father. He takes a hold of my hand that's on his face and keeps it there.

"I'm in love with you, Kakashi Hatake," I say with a warm smile and gaze. "I've always been in love with you."

"Despite of all the times I denied my feelings for you..." Kakashi says with the same gaze. "I have always been in love with you as well. I was afraid to love you because I was afraid of losing you... I didn't want you going through any pain. But now that life has given us a second chance and we're together, I want to make sure you know I how I feel."

We gaze into each other's eyes as we slowly lean toward each other's faces. Kakashi reaches for the top part of his mask and slowly begins to pull it down. We both stop leaning toward one another and Kakashi stops pulling his mask down. We stare at one another for a moment.

"It's Naruto, isn't it?" I whisper to him.

"Yeah," Kakashi answers in a whisper.

Kakashi and I separate from one another.

"You still want to see my face, Naruto?" Kakashi calls out.

"Damn it!" We hear Naruto yell out as he appears from behind a tree. "I was sure I was going to finally see your face while you made out with Denizu sensei!"

Kakashi suddenly appears behind Naruto. Naruto is surprised and a bit scared, knowing that he interrupted a special moment.

"I'm sorry Kakashi sensei! I'm sorry!" Naruto cries.

Naruto expects for Kakashi to hit him in some way. Kakashi wraps his arm around Naruto's neck and pulls him closer. Naruto shrieks out in fear and flinches. To his surprise, Kakashi begins to rub his knuckles on the top of Naruto's head.

"You're won't see my face that easily," Kakashi says with a smile as he continues to rub Naruto's head harder with his knuckles, messing up his hair.

"Ow! Ow! That actually hurts!" Naruto cries out, flailing is arms around.

I smile down at them and giggle happily as Naruto continues to shriek out in pain and flail his arms out, trying to escape Kakashi's grasp. Kakashi, too, is enjoying this and chuckles.


	12. Chapter 12

Part Twelve

Later in the afternoon, Kakashi, Sakura, Naruto, and I decide to spend some quality time together. Both Kakashi and I don't really want them or anyone else finding out that we're officially dating. Kakashi is especially cautious with Naruto because of his habit of blurting things out to people, and especially exaggerating things. Right now, we've just eaten lunch together and are taking a stroll. Kakashi is walking closely on my left while Naruto and Sakura are walking on my right. We're enjoying the peace and quiet, especially after all that's been going on in the village.

"Hey!" we hear someone call from behind.

We turn in surprise and see a young man with spiky brown hair and red stripes on his face. He jumps off a large white dog with urgency in his face.

"Kiba, what's wrong?" Sakura asks.

"Stay calm and listen," Kiba says. "Lady Tsunade has been relieved as the Hokage."

Kakashi and I are surprised.

"What?" Sakura says.

"Huh?" comes from Naruto.

"It seems that someone named Danzo is the Sixth Hokage," Kiba adds.

I grimace at his statement upon hearing and clench my fists. Kakashi notices that I'm angry.

"I don't know too much, but apparently he's been active behind the scenes," Kiba says.

"Danzo?" Sakura says in disbelief.

"And that's not the only shocking thing," Kiba continues. "The Sixth Hokage declared Sasuke as a Rogue Ninja and has given the approval to hunt him down."

We all look at Kiba in shock.

'He's declared Sasuke as a Rogue Ninja?' I think to myself in disbelief and anger.

"What the hell is going on?" Naruto says in anger.

"Even I don't understand," Kiba says.

"They couldn't wait until Lady Tsunade recovered," Kakashi says. "It makes sense in a way."

"Kakashi sensei..." Naruto says, turning to Kakashi.

"Sasuke is indeed a Rogue Ninja," Kakashi says.

I look at him in surprise.

"Normally, he would have been eliminated long ago," Kakashi continues. "It's only because of Lady Tsunade that he's been allowed to live."

"I'm going to see this Danzo," Sakura exclaims as she steps forward.

"Wait, Sakura," Kakashi says, stopping her. "Storming into his office will solve nothing."

"Lady Tsunade isn't even conscious yet!" Sakura says. "How could they do this to her? And what about Sasuke? You can't expect me to keep quiet!"

"I'm coming with you," Naruto says to Sakura as he begins to walk forward.

"Calm down, you two," Kakashi says. "At a time like this, staying calm is crucial or things won't work out."

"How can I stay calm?" Naruto says as he flails his arm angrily at Kakashi. "I won't let them lay a hand on Sasuke!"

"I said wait!" Kakashi says as he takes a hold of Naruto's wrist. "Danzo has already figured out that this is how you'll react... So you'll go see him, then what?"

"I won't do anything violent!" Naruto says. "I just want to talk to him and ask him to change his mind about Sasuke!"

"I hardly think that he'll go along with whatever you have to say. Jeez!" Kakashi says in a calm tone. "Danzo has been appointed by the Feudal Lord. While he has yet to win a vote of confidence from the jonin, he is the Hokage. If you make a wrong move, you'll be thrown into jail."

I worry for Naruto as I hear Kakashi's explanation.

"That's fine with me!" Naruto says angrily as he lets himself go from Kakashi's grasp. "I'm going."

"Me too!" Sakura says as she begins to walk with Naruto.

I watch in wonder as Naruto and Sakura show how much they care for Sasuke.

"H-Hey, guys..." Kiba says, not knowing what to make of the situation.

"Naruto," Kakashi says. "You possess the Nine-Tails."

"What about it?" Naruto says in a bit of anger as he stops and turns to Kakashi.

"Danzo would like nothing better than to confine you in this village," Kakashi says. "Do you want to be locked up in jail? That's exactly what he wants. Then you won't be able to look for Sasuke. Don't make a scene right now."

"As much as I don't like Danzo," I say. "I agree with Kakashi. The last thing you want to do is risk being locked up if you want to go looking for Sasuke."

Naruto looks at me with a look of comprehension, but then looks down and grimaces in anger.

"Fine..." Naruto says as he turns away. "We won't confront him..."

He begins to walk away and Sakura follows him. Kakashi, Kiba and I stand and watch them as they leave.

"Kiba, did you inform anyone else about this?" Kakashi asks.

"Once I heard about this, my first thought was to come to you guys," Kiba answers.

"Thank you, Kiba, for letting us know beforehand," Kakashi says. "You're dismissed."

Kiba nods and heads off riding on the giant white dog. Kakashi and I are now left alone, standing there in silence. I stare at the ground with a stern and pensive look.

"Denizu..." I hear Kakashi say, breaking me away from my thoughts.

I look up at him.

"What's your relationship with Danzo?" he asks, turning to me. "The day Lady Tsunade renewed you as a ninja here, you acted very hostile to him in her office."

I turn my gaze from him to the ground again. Kakashi stares at me, waiting for me to answer.

"Danzo wasn't on good terms with my family," I finally answer. "Especially with my father."

Kakashi is a bit surprised at this.

"Danzo did not agree with my father's ideologies about the ninja way," I continue. "You know how my father was: he believed that a ninja should always have honor and respect for his comrades, and even enemies if it applies to them. Danzo, however, believed that no matter what, a ninja should strictly carry out the ninja code, regardless of what happens to his comrades. He also believes that all enemies, even the ones who seem to have some goodness in their heart, should be killed. He scolded me and my family."

"It's no wonder you don't get along with him," Kakashi says. "The fact that you're alive must bother him."

I turn my gaze into the forest sternly.

"Do you happen to know anything about him?" Kakashi asks.

"My father warned me to be careful with Danzo," I say. "He gave me information on Danzo in order to make sure I know what type of man he is... Danzo and the Foundation engage in espionage. They've done a lot of dirty work behind the scenes. This is obviously something that can't be revealed. In order to keep it a secret, ninja working alongside Danzo and the Foundation are set with Cure Marks; if someone with the Curse Mark talks about the Foundation and its information, they become numb and cannot move or talk, and their chakra also weakens. So even if one is captured, not a word will be uttered. It's what has protected the Hidden Leaf Village from the bottom up. Their methods may have been unscrupulous, but their love for the village is no different from ours. My father did not agree with their methods, and neither do I."

I look at Kakashi with a serious look.

"I didn't want to say this in front of Sakura and Naruto, but I do agree with them wanting to talk to Danzo," I say. "I didn't say anything, afraid that I might encourage Sakura and Naruto to proceed in approaching Danzo. I've seen enough from Naruto to conclude that he can get worked up easily. Like you guys, I don't want him risking getting locked up and prevented from searching for Sasuke."

Kakashi stares at me with a steady face.

"Looks like you're a perfect fit for our team's mother-figure," Kakashi says with a smile.

I am a bit surprised at his statement, but then smile back.

"I've wanted to ask you..." Kakashi says. "What do you know about Itachi?"

I look at him in surprise. He stares at me, awaiting my answer.

"Denizu..." Kakashi says in a low tone. "You do know that Itachi is dead, right?"

I look up at him in shock.

"W–What?" I ask in disbelief.

"Sasuke fulfilled his wish of vengeance..." Kakashi says, looking down in sadness.

"The last time I saw him..." I say, looking at the ground. "He was wearing an Akatsuki cloak..."

"How long ago was that?" Kakashi asks.

"Some years ago, I don't remember," I say, beginning to walk past him. "He confronted me when the leader of Akatsuki sent him to recruit me."

"Recruit you?" Kakashi asks in surprise as he turns to me and then walks up to my right side. "What do you mean?"

"When I was out in the countries fighting off ninja with bad intentions," I begin to explain. "An Akatsuki member approached me with the offer of joining, having seen my abilities. I obviously didn't accept. I ended up fighting this member fiercely because of my refusal."

"Who was it that you faced?"

"I don't know. He was cloaked all over his body, so I wasn't able to see his face or anything. Ever since that encounter, I was pursued by the Akatsuki. That's another reason why I didn't return to Konoha – I didn't want to risk bringing the danger of the Akatsuki here."

We continue to walk down the trail, Kakashi listening intently to me.

"I was later confronted by Itachi," I say, looking sternly ahead. "He was sent to recruit me once again. It was difficult to believe it was really Itachi in that Akatsuki cloak..."

"What happened in your encounter with him?"

"Nothing much," I reply. "He simply came with the offer of recruitment; no fight or struggle. Before we parted, I had asked him why he joined the Akatsuki... He apologized that he couldn't tell me."

Kakashi is surprised at hearing the word 'apologized.'

"It may sound crazy, but I know Itachi wouldn't turn to the hands of a dangerous organization like the Akatsuki," I say. "I took him under my wing when I was 11 eleven years old, him being four, and trained him up until sometime before my disappearance. I began to notice that he was acting strangely. In the year before I disappeared, he began to stop training with me: he skipped sessions and many of our daily talks. I'd always approach Sasuke and question his brother's behavior. Sasuke answered that he didn't know and that he too picked up on his strange behavior. I kept a close eye on Itachi and even approached him about it. Like our last encounter many years ago, he apologized because he could not tell me."

I gaze down at the ground in sadness.

"It really broke my heart..." I say in a low tone. "To see Itachi look miserable... And to see Sasuke affected by it too... It just doesn't seem right to me that Itachi would actually turn into a Rogue Ninja... I know there has to be some sort of explanation..."

Kakashi gazes at me with a look of sorrow.

"I can relate to how you feel, you know..." Kakashi says. "Sasuke was one of my students. Like you did with Itachi, I bonded with him. It was difficult to believe that Sasuke would do such a thing too... Your case is a bit more extreme because you were familiar with both brothers, while I was only familiar with one. Try not to let it bring you down so much," he says as he places a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure answers will come up."

I look over at Kakashi and see his smiling gaze.

"Thank you Kakashi," I say, smiling at him.

We then approach the area where camped tents are set up for the villagers. As we walk through, Kakashi sees a young man with short black hair wearing a short shirt that reveals his stomach walk into a tent with a container of water.

"Sai..." Kakashi says, gazing at the young man.

"Who is he?" I ask.

"He's the new recruitment to our team," Kakashi replies. "We needed someone to add on to our team since Sasuke had left. I forgot you haven't met him."

We then make our way over to the tent where Sai walked into. As we approach the entrance of the tent, we stop and see Sai coming out with a down expression.

"Why the down look?" Kakashi asks him.

"Kakashi sensei..." he says, looking at us in surprise.

Sai stares at me in wonder.

"Who's this?" he asks.

"This is Denizu," Kakashi answers. "She's a new sensei recruited to our team."

Sai stares at me for a moment until he finally nods.

"What's with that glum look, Sai?" Kakashi asks.

Sai gives him a worried look.

"It's about Naruto," Sai says.

"Did something happen to him?" I ask in worry.

Sai looks around and then back at us.

"Please, come with me and I'll explain," Sai says as he walks away.

Kakashi and I follow him toward some large stacks of chopped wood for building. We head around one and stand there, waiting for Sai to talk to us.

"Cloud Ninja came here to gather intel about the Akatsuki and Sasuke from the Hokage," Sai says.

"What? Why?" I ask.

"Their leader has been kidnapped by Sasuke, who has joined the Akatsuki," Sai continues.

Kakashi and I look at him in surprise.

"The Cloud Ninja confronted Naruto and asked him to tell them anything he knew about Sasuke and Akatsuki," Sai explains. "Naruto refused to sell Sasuke out and offered to be beaten up in order for the Cloud Ninja to alleviate their anger and hate for Sasuke. One of the Cloud Ninja beat him severely. I interfered and stopped them from harming Naruto any further."

Kakashi and I stand there, trying to process in what Sai just told us.

"Naruto did that, did he?" Kakashi says.

There's a moment of silence between us.

"Kakashi sensei..." Sai says.

Kakashi looks at him.

"What is so precious about this bond with Sasuke that only hurts Naruto and Sakura?" Sai asks. "Why do those two keep putting up with the pain it causes?"

"Sai..." Kakashi says. "You're assigned to keep an eye on Naruto, right?"

I look at Kakashi in a bit of surprise.

"W–Well, that's..."

"It's all right. I'm aware of it," Kakashi says. "Stepping in to save Naruto isn't part of your duty. You've probably begun to realize it too, Sai."

Sai looks up at Kakashi in surprise.

"Please take us to Naruto," I suddenly say in a worried tone. "I want to make sure he's all right."

Sai looks at me and nods. We make our way to the camped tent Sai came out of earlier, and see a man with messy brown hair wearing a jonin outfit approach the tent.

"Yamato," Kakashi says.

"Kakashi," Yamato says in greeting.

He looks over at me with a surprised look.

"And who's this attractive young woman?" Yamato asks in wonder.

I am a bit surprised at his statement and begin to blush slightly. Kakashi notices and can't help but think of it as amusing.

"Hello! I'm Denizu Uchiha," I say with a nervous smile, holding out my hand for Yamato to shake.

"Uchiha?" Yamato says in surprise. "So you're the jonin everyone's been mentioning."

I take note that Sai isn't at all surprised to hear this. I decide to reflect on that matter later.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you," Yamato says with a friendly smile.

"Now, if you don't mind," I say. "I want to see Naruto."

"Naruto?" he asks in wonder as I quickly step into the tent. "What's happened to Naruto?"

"He let himself get beaten up in order to not sell Sasuke out," I hear Kakashi say as he follows Sai and me into the tent.

Upon entering the tent, I am shocked to see Naruto sitting on a mat, his face swollen from bruises.

"Naruto!" I gasp as I quickly kneel beside him with worry.

He is a bit surprised to see me.

"Denizu sensei–" he begins to say but I interrupt him by embracing him.

Naruto is shocked at my action, and sits there with his eyes widened. Kakashi, Yamato, and Sai are also a bit surprised.

"Denizu sensei..." Naruto says quietly in disbelief.

"I'm sorry," I say as I quickly let go of him. "I must be hurting you."

"No, I'm...fine..." Naruto says, looking at me with a look of disbelief in his eyes.

"If you don't mind, Denizu sensei," Sai says as he kneels down next to me with some first aid supplies. "I'm going to treat Naruto's bruises."

"Oh, yes," I say, quickly getting up and stepping back.

I stop a few feet next to Kakashi on his left. He stares at me with a pensive look as I watch Sai treat Naruto with worry in my eyes.

'She shocked him with that motherly embrace...,' Kakashi thinks to himself.

He then turns his gaze back to Naruto and Sai. Sai quickly and carefully bandages Naruto up.

"You should let Sakura take a look at that," Sai says as he finishes bandaging Naruto's left arm.

"No, it's okay," Naruto says as he looks at Sai with his one open eye. "If she sees me like this, it'll just cause more trouble. Besides, I heal fast."

Sai continues to wrap a bandage around Naruto's left arm. I see Naruto gaze down with a look of sorrow.

'Poor Naruto...' I think to myself.

"Sai, what you did earlier..." Naruto says. "Thanks."

"No problem," Sai says with a smile after he finishes bandaging Naruto's left arm.

I smile warmly at how they are treating one another.

"Boy, they really worked you over," Kakashi says.

I look at Kakashi with a sweat drop.

Naruto looks at Kakashi with a smile.

"Ow! Owww!" he says as Sai adjusts the bandage on his arm.

"Oh, sorry," Sai says.

"You'd better take some time to recuperate," Kakashi advises Naruto.

"I'm going to see the Raikage," Naruto says, turning to us.

We look at him in surprise. Yamato is especially surprised and grimaces at his statement.

"What are you saying?" Yamato asks in a bothered tone. "The Five Kage Summit is about to convene. It is agreed that every Hidden Village will exercise restraint in leaving their lands and conducting radical missions."

"What will you do by seeing him?" Kakashi asks Naruto.

"I'm going to convince him to forgive Sasuke!" Naruto says with a weak smile.

I look at him in surprise.

'Naruto...' I think to myself as I stare at him in wonder.

"Right now, you don't even have the necklace that seals the Tailed Beast!" Yamato exclaims. "A Jinchuriki like you must not leave the village. It was a danger as many as eight tails transformed during that last battle. We were lucky that the Seal activated in time to suppress the Nine-Tails, but who knows about the next time?"

I see Naruto gaze down again with sadness.

"Besides. I'm in charge of the village reconstruction," Yamato continues. "I cannot stay by you all the time!"

Naruto closes his eye for a moment.

"I met the Fourth Hokage," Naruto says.

We're all surprised at his statement.

"That last time," Naruto says. "It was the Fourth Hokage who stopped my Nine-Tails transformation."

"W–What does he mean?" Yamato asks, turning to Kakashi. "The Fourth Hokage passed away a long––"

"There are still many mysteries to the Sealing Jutsu, the Reaper Death Seal," Kakashi says. "He probably sealed his own mental energy into the sealing spell."

"That's when the Fourth Hokage told me..." Naruto says. "A guy wearing the Akatsuki mask instigated the Nine-Tails incident 16 years ago. And he was so strong, even the Fourth Hokage was almost no match for him! On top of that, he said this guy was the mastermind that was probably using Pain. If Sasuke has joined the Akatsuki, then he's also being used."

I am surprised at Naruto's thought.

'Naruto could be right...' I think to myself.

"This is just what Lord Jiraiya feared," Kakashi says.

I turn to Kakashi and listen intently.

"That incident, 16 years ago..." Kakashi continues. "To think he was behind it. He possessed the Sharingan. He belonged to the Uchiha clan and left the village harboring great hatred. And only he, Madara, is capable of summoning the Nine-Tails."

'Madara Uchiha...' I think to myself in bitterness.

"Anything is possible if it involves Madara," Yamato adds. "So he's still alive."

"Who's Madara?" Naruto asks.

"A man who was defeated by the First Hokage..." I begin to explain with a serious tone. "The former leader of the Uchiha Clan of the Hidden Leaf Village."

"The higher-ups must be informed of this," Kakashi says. "Sai. Inform the Hokage about this."

"R–Right," Sai responds.

"Naruto. What did the Fourth Hokage say to you?" Kakashi asks.

Naruto is surprised by his question and looks down. Kakashi stares at him for a moment.

"Fathers like to tell their sons all sorts of things, huh?" Kakashi says, remembering his meeting with his father.

I look at Kakashi in surprise. Naruto begins to clench his fists while gripping the sheets. He then suddenly looks over at us with a big, confident smile.

"He said...he believed in me!" Naruto says, his face full of happiness.

"Good!" Kakashi says to him with a smile, holding a thumb up at him.

I smile at Kakashi warmly.

'He's beginning to open his feelings up more...' I think to myself as I watch Kakashi.

"Naruto, you will go to the Raikage!" Kakashi suddenly says. "With Yamato, Denizu, and I as your escorts."

"What?" Yamato exclaims with a very surprised look. "This is a bad idea!"

"What? Can't listen to what I have to say, Tenzo?" Kakashi asks Yamato, in a bit of a tease.

"Hey! You're not supposed to call me by that name, remember?"

"Now, now..." Kakashi says calmly.

I smile humorously as I see them interact.

"It's settled then," Kakashi says. "We will be leaving now!"

Naruto gets up quickly and begins to get himself ready. Kakashi walks up to me with a serious look on his face.

"I'm having you come with us for a few reasons," Kakashi begins to say in a low voice. "You're a part of this team. Rescuing Sasuke is just as important for you as it is for us. You clearly show a lot of support for us, especially Naruto. In terms of combat, you have the Sharingan; in case there is any encounter with Madara, and I certainly don't want to count on it, we will at least have a Sharingan user of our own – an excellent experienced one at that."

I look up Kakashi and nod sternly in comprehension.

"I'm more than happy to assist you in all that I can," I say in a serious tone.

Kakashi then steps a bit closer while putting a hand on my shoulder and leans into my ear.

"And just to be honest," Kakashi whispers. "I want you close to me..."

I am surprised at his words and look up at him as he pulls away. He stares at me with a warm look, which I quickly return. We then turn to Naruto standing up, ready to go.

"Okay!" Naruto says, adjusts his headband. "I'm ready!"

"It's not okay," Yamato says as he crosses his arms. "Are you serious about going to meet the Raikage?"

"I'm going to ask him to forgive Sasuke," Naruto says with a small smile.

"But if you don't even know where the Raikage is..."

"So please help him out, Yamato," I say with a friendly smile, putting a hand on Yamato's shoulder.

Yamato stares at me in a bit of surprise. Kakashi watches me and Yamato with a smile as well.

"All right, see ya," Kakashi says, opening the tent to step out. "Come on, Denizu. I need your help with something."

I turn to him, nod, and follow him out. Just as we're heading out of the cabin, we hear someone walking behind us.

"Well, if it isn't the lovely Sharingan couple," we hear a familiar voice say.

We stop in our tacks and turn around and see Kurenai standing there with a smile on her face.

"Hey there, Kurenai," Kakashi says with a casual tone.

"Kurenai," I say in surprise. "How are you doing? Are they treating you well at the hospital area?"

"Yes, don't worry, they are," she replies. "I'm spending time with women and their children. I'm trying to get a sense of what motherhood will be like."

I walk up to Kurenai and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You're going to be a great mother," I say to her with a warm smile. "I know it."

Kurenai is a bit surprised but then smiles warmly back at me.

"Denizu!" she says as she embraces me hard around my neck, tears comically rolling down her face. "I'm so happy I have a best friend like you!"

Kakashi watches us with a warm smile as Kurenai continues to strangle me with her embrace.

"Kurenai..." I say, trying to breathe. "Kakashi and I...have to get...going...on a mission..."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Kurenai says, letting go of me. "I just couldn't resist the urge to hug you."

I smile at her innocent and happy face.

"I'm glad you're doing well, Kurenai," I say.

She smiles warmly at me.

"Please take good care of my little sister, Kakashi," she says. "I know I can trust you with her."

Kakashi is a bit surprised at her statement, but then smiles.

"Thank you, Kurenai," he says happily.

"Now go! Do what you must do!" Kurenai says, motioning us to move along. "I hope to see you guys soon!"

Kakashi and I wave goodbye to her as we walk away.

"Where did we need to go?" I ask Kakashi.

"We need to find Sai," Kakashi replies. "Come on."

Kakashi heads off quickly into the forest. I quickly follow after him. After a bit, we find Sai behind a tree, writing in a scroll. Kakashi quietly makes his way in front of him, and I do the same.

"Please don't mention Naruto's actions when you report to the Hokage," Kakashi says.

Sai looks at us in surprise.

"Tell him there's been no movement," Kakashi continues.

"It seems you still do not trust me," Sai says.

"You work under Danzo and your job is to keep an eye on Naruto," Kakashi says. "However, you are also a member of Team 7. So I do believe in you."

With these last words, Kakashi gives Sai a friendly smile. Sai looks at him in surprise.

"I can tell you have a kind heart," I say to Sai. "A kind heart that doesn't necessarily agree with Danzo. You'll realize yourself that you'll do what's best."

Sai looks at me in wonder and surprise. I give him a warm smile.

"Well, let's go," Kakashi says to me.

We both head off.

"I'm glad you're getting to know Sai a bit more," Kakashi says to me as we head through the forest.

"You know me," I say. "I'm not one to judge so harshly. Where are we going now?"

"Just going to check up on Naruto," he answers as we stop behind a tree in the dark shadows.

We both peer out and see Naruto and a young boy with dark spiky hair and a long blue scarf standing in front of one another.

"Who's that?" I quietly ask.

"That's Konohamaru," Kakashi answers. "The Third Hokage's grandson. He's Naruto's pupil."

I stare at them in wonder as they give one another stern looks. I then sense a presence near them.

"You see them?" Kakashi asks me.

"Yeah, they're Danzo's men," I say, peering from behind the tree and seeing two men in ANBU cloaks watching Naruto and Konohamaru from behind some bushes some ten feet away from them.

"Let me handle them," I say, activating my Sharingan.

I then quickly move toward the two ANBU members. They watch Naruto and Konohamaru perform some hand signs. Before anything else, I appear in front of them with my Sharingan. They are shocked and fall back on the ground, blacking out.

"You can spy on Naruto in your dreams," I address the ANBU men.

Kakashi appears next to me on my left.

"Yup," I quietly say to Kakashi. "No doubt they're Danzo's men."

Kakashi studies them for a moment.

"I can't help but notice that it seems Sai has begun to lose the Foundation's trust," Kakashi says.

"I agree," I say.

We both turn around after hearing Naruto and Konohamaru talking. Kakashi and I kneel behind some bushes and watch them quietly.

"Look at the difference in our sexiness!" Konohamaru says.

I watch in surprise and see that they are in female versions of themselves.

"Kakashi...what are they doing?" I ask him in a confused tone.

"They tend to compare their Sexy Jutsu," Kakashi says. "It's a jutsu Naruto developed for entertainment of distracting."

"Oh... I see..." I say with a look of wonder.

Naruto and Konohamaru then transform back to themselves.

"I'm supposed to be your rival, but you keep on kicking my butt, Bro!" Konohamaru says to Naruto in frustration.

"I heard the news," Naruto interrupts him. "You took down one of the Pain's with your Rasengan, right?"

Konohamaru looks down with a blush.

"I was just desperate that time," Konohamaru says while gazing at the ground.

Naruto then places his hand on Konohamaru's head.

"Good job, Konohamaru!" Naruto says with a smile. "You're a hero in our village too!"

Konohamaru looks up at Naruto in surprise for a moment, but then smiles cheekily at him.

"You pick things up quicker than I do!" Naruto says. "Next time, I'll teach you how to do the Giant Rasengan!"

"Okay!" Konohamaru exclaims while holding up his fist with confidence.

Kakashi and I smile warmly at them. Naruto then says goodbye to Konohamaru and takes off.

"Let's go," Kakashi whispers to me.

We quickly head off to the camped tent site and meet up with Yamato and Naruto.

"There you are Kakashi and Denizu sensei!" Naruto says. "Say...you and Denizu sensei weren't doing anything naughty, were you?" Naruto mutters to Kakashi with a devilish grin as he elbows Kakashi on his arm.

I smile nervously in embarrassment as I rub the back of my head with a sweat drop. Yamato looks at me then at Kakashi back and forth with a look of disbelief.

"Kakashi with Denizu?" Yamato asks with a comical look of disbelief.

"Naruto, please don't say things that you're too young to even understand," Kakashi says with a sigh, flicking Naruto on the side of his head where he is bruised.

"Aaahh! That hurt!" Naruto exclaims as he protects his face.

"Come on. Let's head on out," Kakashi says as he motions for us to follow.

We walk to the exit of the village walls and head on out to our mission: to find the Raikage.


	13. Chapter 13

Part Thirteen

Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto, and I are outside of the Leaf Village by now. We're currently tracking the team that was sent by the Raikage to gather intel of the Akatsuki, the team with the ninja who had beaten Naruto. Yamato had planted tracking beads on one of the Raikage's ninja before they left. We're going to enter into very cold weather, so we're now wearing thick, white winter cloaks. We're currently in a field of tall grass as Yamato confirms where the Raikage's ninja are heading.

"Begin tailing!" Yamato says.

"Right!" Naruto exclaims after stretching his arm out a bit.

With that, we head off.

"It's crucial that we stay as quiet as possible," Yamato says as we leap through the forest. "We can't be noticed by them."

We all nod in comprehension.

After some time, we have now reached the lands where the weather is very cold. There is a lot of snow, so we have to make sure to be careful with our movements. We leap from tree branch to tree branch through the snowy forest.

'I really hope Naruto is able to change the Raikage's decision...' I think to myself.

Suddenly, Naruto sneezes. Yamato turns to Naruto and shushes him.

"It's gotten cold all of a sudden," Naruto says.

"We're in the middle of tailing!" Yamato quietly exclaims to Naruto, holding a finger to his mouth.

Yamato then senses something up ahead.

"They've stopped!" Yamato quietly says.

We stop on the snowy ground below us. Yamato signals us to follow him. We move behind Yamato toward a large rock. Naruto quickly moves forward to it first and Yamato afterward. Kakashi signals me to go next and he follows after me. The four of us stand quietly behind the rock, knowing that the Raikage and his ninja are in the open trail. We listen attentively to them. After a few moments, I sense that one of them is alerted of our presence.

"One's taken notice of us," I say.

"Come out, you Hidden Leaf dogs!" one ninja from the Raikage's team calls out in anger.

Naruto pokes his head out first before the rest of us, and we all then head over to them, seeing there's obviously no point in hiding. We stand some fifteen feet in front of them.

"We need to talk," Naruto simply says to them.

The Raikage and his team look at him in surprise.

"You actually tailed Samui," one of the Raikage's ninja says. "You guys are pretty good."

"You're Naruto!" a woman of dark red hair and dark skin tone calls out. "You tailed us. What's the big deal?"

"Did the Hokage send you, Kakashi Hatake?" the Raikage says, recognizing Kakashi.

'He recognizes Kakashi,' I think to myself. 'Kakashi must be well known for his abilities, especially with his Sharingan eye.'

"No, I came to ask you personally about a request by Naruto Uzumaki of the Hidden Leaf," Kakashi responds.

"Naruto Uzumaki?" the Raikage questions.

"If you could hear him out for just a while," Kakashi says.

"Isn't this a bit rude?" one of the Cloud ninja with blond hair says. "Stopping in route to the summit without any prior notice."

"I am fully aware of that," Kakashi responds.

"No matter," the Raikage says. "You there, boy! Speak!"

Naruto stays quiet for a moment before preparing to speak.

"Sasuke..." Naruto begins. "I want you to cancel the disposal of Sasuke Uchiha!"

The Cloud ninja look at him in surprise.

"H–Hey, this isn't really the place..." one of the Cloud ninja with short spiky white hair and dark skin tone says.

"Are you still talking about that?" the woman with dark red hair and dark skin tone says in anger.

The Raikage stands there, staring at Naruto intently.

"What are you saying?" the Raikage asks.

"I know it sounds ridiculous," Naruto says. "But this is the only way I know how to say it... Sasuke is my friend! My friend's gonna get killed. I can't just stand by and let it happen!"

Naruto gazes down to the snow covered ground.

"On top of that," Naruto continues. "I don't want Sasuke to be the cause of the Leaf and Cloud Villages killing each other. I don't want my friends or the Cloud to fight for revenge!"

The Raikage stares at Naruto for a moment, and then walks in Naruto's direction. He merely passes Naruto, not even glancing at him. Naruto is surprised, and he quickly runs over and stands in front of the Raikage. Naruto looks and sees the Raikage not looking at him and just walking around him again. Naruto is again surprised, but runs over and stands in front of the Raikage, and suddenly drops to his knees in the cold snow.

"I'm begging you!" Naruto pleads, keeping his head down. "I don't want us killing each other out of vengeance anymore!"

The Raikage stares down at Naruto for a moment. I watch Naruto with a look of empathy in my eyes. The Raikage then walks around Naruto, not saying a word.

"All Sasuke ever thought about was revenge!" Naruto begins again, still on his knees. "He became obsessed with it and that changed him. Vengeance makes you go mad. It turns you into someone you don't recognize anymore. I don't want anyone else to become like Sasuke! I don't want the Leaf and Cloud Villages to destroy each other! That's why..."

We all watch Naruto, listening to him intently as he chokes up in tears. The Raikage stands there, with his back facing us.

"We will dispose of Sasuke," the Raikage says.

I am shocked to hear this.

"After that, YOU can stop the cycle," the Raikage continues.

"We are in a hurry," the Cloud ninja with blonde hair says. "We've let you have your say."

Naruto continues to have his face buried in the snow.

"Lord Raikage..." Yamato says. "The incident in which you tried to obtain the Hyuga Byakugan is still unresolved on our side. The Hidden Leaf swallowed tears of blood and avoided fighting the Cloud, who fueled the fires of war. It's thanks to those noble sacrifices that your people still exist. Please try not to forget that."

The Raikage stays quiet.

"Right here and now," I stay to the Raikage, stepping forward next to Naruto. "This young ninja, no matter how awkwardly, is bowing his head in his affection for the Cloud and Leaf, village and nation."

"Lord Raikage," Kakashi says, stepping in to assist me. "As one of the five Kage, what do you think of this?

The Raikage stays quiet for a moment. We await his answer.

"A ninja does not bow his head easily!" the Raikage exclaims as he turns and looks at Naruto who's still on the ground. "A ninja values action and strength! Concessions are forbidden in agreements made between ninja. The history of man is a history of war. Since the three Great Ninja Wars, every nation and every land has tried to obtain powerful ninjutsu. Those without power are crushed. That is the truth of the ninja world. The Akatsuki will be branded as wanted fugitives. Then, not only I, but the whole world will hunt Sasuke down. Yet, you bow your head for this criminal and plead for mercy for your friend. In the ninja world, that is not friendship."

The Raikage walks over and looks down at Naruto sternly.

"Boy of the Hidden Leaf, think hard on what you must do," the Raikage says to Naruto. "The ninja world does not indulge fools."

With that, the Raikage turns and begins to walk away, leaving Naruto still kneeling with his face buried in the snow. The rest of the Cloud ninja follow the Raikage.

"Naruto..." Kakashi says as he crouches down to him and puts a hand on his back. "Enough already. Raise your head."

Naruto trembles a bit, grimaces, and slams his fist hard into the snow covered ground. I stare at Naruto with a look of sadness in my eyes as he begins to sob a bit in anger.

It's getting late. We've stopped at a nearby inn to rest from our nonstop tracking of the Cloud ninja and from the cold weather. Kakashi, Yamato and I tried to console Naruto for his attempt to change the Raikage's mind, but Naruto stayed depressed. He is now alone in his own room. We've decided to leave him alone in order to let him reflect on his own for now.

Kakashi, Yamato and I are sitting in a separate room from Naruto. We're sitting on the floor's mat, facing one another in a triangle. Kakashi is to my left and Yamato is to my right. The three of us stare down at the floor in deep thought.

"He tried his best..." Yamato says, breaking the silence.

I continue to gaze down. Kakashi looks up at me and notices the sorrow in my eyes.

"I'm sorry you had to hear that about Sasuke," Kakashi says to me.

Yamato is a bit perplexed at hearing that.

"Do you have some sort of connection with Sasuke?" Yamato asks me.

I sit there, still keeping my gaze down. Yamato and Kakashi wait for me to answer.

"I knew him well when he was young..." I finally answer. "My family was close with his due to the fact that I took his older brother, Itachi, under my wing in training."

Yamato is surprised and listens intently.

"I knew their family well," I continue. "I have a sense of how Naruto feels right now."

"Who was your family?" Yamato asks in curiosity.

"My family was the main branch of the Uchiha Clan. My father was Kohaku Uchiha and my mother Miyako Uchiha."

"Ah, yes, I remember now," Yamato says. "Your parents were excellent ninjas of the Uchiha Clan and were very well known and respected in the Leaf Village. You were a prodigy yourself. Very much like Kakashi, you excelled in your ninja skills at a young age."

"She surpassed me, better yet," Kakashi adds.

"I also recall your alleged death," Yamato says. "You were kidnapped by Orochimaru during an ANBU mission. I'm sorry to bring that up, but...how is it that you're alive?"

I look up at Yamato with a smile.

"No need to be sorry," I say. "It's become a common thing for people to question me about it. But to answer your question..." I say with a serious gaze. "I managed to escape the explosion that was set off."

"Keeping it nice and short, huh?" Yamato says.

"Well, it really is a long story!" I say to him with a smile and sweat drop as I rub the back of my head.

My eyes widen a bit in shock as I sense something wrong.

"What is it?" Kakashi asks.

"Someone's here," I say getting up.

"An intruder?" Yamato asks.

We are then surprised at the sound of an explosion coming from the room Naruto is in.

"Naruto!" I say with a grimace.

Yamato quickly heads over to the room where Naruto is in. He sees Naruto and another man in an Akatsuki cloak and quickly summons a wooden gate-like shield to prevent Naruto from engaging to fight. He also makes pieces of wood wrap around the intruder to hold him down. Kakashi appears behind the intruder with his Sharingan eye revealed and his Chidori activated. I appear in front of the intruder, holding out my katana at his neck as I glare at him with my Sharingan eyes activated. I take notice that he is wearing an orange mask with a swirl design; this is the man who is claimed to be Madara Uchiha.

"Naruto, just stay put," Yamato instructs as he gazes up at the intruder.

Kakashi and I glare at the alleged Madara, ready if he tries to do anything.

"As expected, Sharingan Kakashi," Madara says, turning his head slightly to address him. "You are fast."

He then turns his head toward me and stays quiet, as if studying me.

"And of course," he says. "Denizu Uchiha."

Everyone is surprised that he knows my name.

"How do you know my name?" I ask sternly, continuing to glare at him.

"I'll get to that later," Madara replies. "I'll deal with Naruto first."

"We won't let you get your hands on Naruto that easily, Madara Uchiha," I say.

"You can cut it out with the Chidori," he says, addressing Kakashi. "No attacks work against Madara Uchiha."

"I don't know if you're merely erasing your presence or if this is an astral projection," I say, gazing at Madara. "But I know it's necessary for you to manifest physically in order to capture Naruto. Otherwise, you couldn't actually grab him."

"We'll aim for that," Yamato says.

Suddenly, seven large rectangular pieces of strong wood appear and surround the area.

"This here is now my territory," Yamato says.

"I never thought it would be easy," Madara says. "You see, I have my own plan. But right now, I'd rather talk."

"Talk?" Kakashi says.

"Yes," Madara replies. "What was it that made Pain, Nagato, turn into a traitor? Naruto...you have aroused my curiosity."

"Who cares about something like that?" Naruto exclaims in anger. "What do you intend to do with Sasuke? Tell me about Sasuke!"

"Sasuke, huh?" Madara says. "Very well. I'll tell you...about the man whose hatred of the ninja world runs through his bones to his very core... About Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke's story cannot be told without mentioning Itachi, though. So first, hear the truth about Itachi."

We all stare intently at Madara.

"Maybe this will change something in you, too, Denizu..." Madara says.

I sternly gaze at him.

"What would you say if I told you Itachi was given the mission to slaughter the Uchiha Clan by the Leaf Village?" Madara says.

I look at him in surprise.

"Itachi's assignment that night was to slaughter the Uchiha clan," Madara says. "He fulfilled it, but spared Sasuke's life. Itachi ended up being a sacrificial pawn in a long-standing power struggle in the Leaf Village. When the village was founded, we, the Uchiha, and several other clans, held the power in the village. But after failing to take the seat of the First Hokage, we Uchiha gradually fell from power. I, then the leader of the Uchiha, eventually left the village in despair. After my departure, the clan fell even further from power, and in the end they came to be treated as village outcasts. Aware of this, the Uchiha began to develop a plan."

"A plan?" I ask.

"A plan to take over the village, with Sasuke's father as their leader," Madara continues.

I'm surprised.

'Is that why...' I think to myself. '...my father began to break off the close ties with Sasuke's father?'

"But the Leaf higher-ups grew suspicious and planted a spy among the Uchiha," Madara says. "That spy was Itachi. The Uchiha or the Leaf. Itachi was torn apart inside trying to decide which side to take. Ultimately, he sided with the Hidden Leaf Village. As a boy, he had experienced the Third Great Ninja War. He chose to put the stability and peace of the village first. The village higher-ups played on his feelings and assigned Itachi a mission. And that mission was the eradication of the entire Uchiha Clan."

My grip on the katana begins to tighten.

"The decision to raise his hand against his fellow clansmen must have been an unbelievable struggle," Madara continues. "But if the Uchiha's plan of overthrowing the village was allowed to proceed, the village would collapse, and this weakness would invite attacks from other villages. It could have easily become the trigger for the Fourth Great Ninja War. And so Itachi made his decision: he himself would lower the curtain on his own clan's history. No matter what, though, he could not bring himself to kill his brother Sasuke. He asked the Third Hokage to protect Sasuke after the Uchiha Clan was slaughtered. And before departing the village, he warned the other leaders never to lay a hand on Sasuke."

'Itachi...' I think in sorrow.

"Joining the Akatsuki was also a part of Itachi's plan," Madara continues. "He was spying on an organization which posed a threat to the village. Even after he betrayed his clan and left his village, his heart was with the Leaf. He slaughtered his own flesh and blood for the sake of his village. And that is why Sasuke wishes to seek revenge."

I gaze down with a look of sadness in my eyes. Everyone stares in shock at Madara in disbelief.

"You're lying!" Naruto yells. "That's nonsense!"

"No, it can't be..." Yamato says with a look of disbelief.

Kakashi looks at me gazing down and knows I'm filled with sorrow and confusion.

"Stop joking around," Kakashi says, glaring at Madara. "Who'd believe that story?"

"It's not a lie," Madara says. "That's the truth about Itachi. He died for Sasuke's sake and for the Hidden Leaf Village."

"Even if it is true," Kakashi says. "If Sasuke is aware of this, why would he join Akatsuki? Knowing him, he would return to the Hidden Leaf to carry on Itachi's will."

"As Sasuke's teacher and his friends," Madara says. "You might have assumed you understood Sasuke's true feelings. But you were badly mistaken. He's the real thing: a true avenger. That's what he is."

"Did you turn Sasuke into that?" Naruto asks in anger.

"No, I didn't," Madara replies. "Sasuke chose this himself."

I look at Madara in shock.

'Sasuke...chose it for himself?' I think in disbelief.

"It's a lie!" Naruto yells in anger.

"I took a gamble too," Madara continues. "Would Sasuke carry on Itachi's wishes, or would he seek revenge against the Leaf Village? He chose revenge. In essence, he was meant to be on our side. Sasuke's goal at this moment is to take revenge against the Hidden Leaf for what they did to Itachi and the Uchiha Clan."

"Why?" Naruto asks in a trembling voice. "Why him? Why did this happen? How could he turn on the village?"

"It was inevitable," Madara responds. "It is the Uchiha Clan's blood-soaked destiny of hate."

I stand there and listen in disbelief.

"It's like a curse that has been passed down through ages," Madara says.

"A curse?" Naruto says in confusion.

"Yes," Madara responds. "A curse of hatred which started generations ago with the Sage of the Six Paths who is said to be the founder of the ninja."

"The Sage of the Six Paths?" Kakashi questions. "That's just a myth. The Rinnegan was no more than a mutation!"

"Myths are born from truth," Madara says. "Long ago, the Sage of the Six Paths preached the Ninshu and tried to lead the way to peace. But before he could realize his dream, time ran out. The Sage of the Six Paths decided to entrust the power and will of the Ninshu to his two children. The elder son was born with the Sage's eyes. He inherited the Sage's chakra and mental energy, and he believed that strength was crucial to peace. The younger son was born with the gift of the Sage's body. He inherited the Sage's life force and physical energy, and he believed that love was crucial to peace. Ultimately, the Sage was forced to choose his successor from his deathbed. However, his decision created a curse of hatred that has continued for generations."

"What do you mean by that?" Naruto asks.

"Instead of his older son, who sought strength," Madara responds. "The Sage felt that the younger son, who sought love, was more suitable, and named him as his successor. The firstborn, who had long expected to follow in his father's footsteps, could not accept the decision. Filled with rage, he challenged his younger brother. Even as time passed and new generations were born, the descendants of the two brothers continued the battle. The descendants of the older brother came to be known as the Uchiha. And the descendants of the younger brother were called the Senju. As Madara Uchiha, my battle with the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, was destined to take place. This is only the second time I've met you, Naruto, but I can tell that you hold the Senju's Will of Fire within you; I can see the First Hokage inside you. Even after death, he lives on. He, whom I admired, yet he was my rival – and the man I hated most. The Senju and the Uchiha. The Will of Fire and hatred. Naruto and Sasuke. You both will probably be the next chosen by fate. The Uchiha was destined to be a clan of vengeance. Sasuke has shouldered the entire burden of the Uchiha's hatred and intends to strike the world with that curse. It is the most powerful weapon. It's his friend and source of power, this thing called hatred. And it is Sasuke's Ninja Way!"

I stare at Madara with an intense glare, gripping the handle of my katana tightly.

"Naruto..." Madara says. "You will probably end up fighting Sasuke one day. Rather... I will throw Sasuke at you. A battle that was predestined ages ago. I'll have Sasuke validate the existence of the Uchiha."

"Sasuke isn't your toy!" Naruto exclaims in anger. "Quit making selfish plans!"

"You think you can make Sasuke have a change of heart like you did with Nagato?" Madara asks. "That's just as selfish, Naruto. Controlling people requires the skill to manipulate the darkness in their souls. Although, Nagato just happened to be easily influenced by others."

"Don't liken Nagato to yourself!" Naruto says in anger. "His ways were different but he truly wished for peace! But you're different."

"You're right," Madara says.

"The existence of the Uchiha..." Kakashi says. "If that's all you want to validate, why hunt the Tailed Beasts? Just what is your goal? What do you hope to accomplish?"

"Let's see..." Madara says. "If anything, it's to become complete."

"Complete?" I say in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Yamato asks.

"Talking to you is meaningless," Madara says.

Madara then turns his attention towards me. I grip my katana hard and give him a glare.

"Now to you, Denizu," Madara says. "We'll have another talk in a more appropriate place."

Kakashi is a bit surprised at this. I look at Madara in confusion at his statement. He then suddenly gazes into my eyes with his Mangekyō Sharingan eye. I am frozen in shock and close my eyes. After a few seconds, I open them and find myself standing in a different realm. There is a cloudy atmosphere and the background is a blood-red appearance while Madara and I are depicted in an inverted grey scale.

'He's using Tsukuyomi...' I think to myself.

"Sorry for having you wait so long," Madara says as he stands a few feet in front of me. "You also needed to know the truth behind Itachi's intentions, having been a temporary teacher to him."

I glare at Madara.

"I'm sure you know that you can't break away from my Tsukuyomi," he says. "It can only be broken by a Sharingan user that shares the same blood as me."

'He's right,' I think to myself with a grimace.

"But with your mutated Sharingan, you can," Madara says.

My eyes widen in confusion.

"Mutated...Sharingan?" I ask, completely puzzled.

"So your parents didn't reveal to you what happened when you were born..." Madara says.

"What? Something...happened?"

"When you were born," Madara begins. "Your Sharingan was activated. What made it more interesting was the fact that it wasn't a normal Sharingan – it was a mutation."

My eyes widen in surprise.

"Your Sharingan was different," Madara continues. "The ocular design was not like any normal Sharingan. It was intense enough to cause anyone who looked into your eyes to black out. A nurse who had assisted your mother in giving birth to you was the first to make eye contact with you when you opened your eyes for the first time. Your father was the one who noticed your odd Sharingan because he studied it when you weren't directly looking at him. Luckily, your mother gave birth to you in your home, so the only ones who knew about the Sharingan were your father and mother. He lied to the doctor and gave a different explanation as to why the nurse had blacked out. In fear that others may find out about your Sharingan and attempt to come after you, your father and mother agreed to keep you at home for about a month, blindfolded so that your Sharingan wouldn't accidentally hurt them. It was until a month that your Sharingan deactivated and you no longer needed to be blindfolded; however, because you hadn't been accustomed to the light, your parents still had to keep you in the dark, slowly helping you adjust to the light. To have an excuse as to why they didn't let anyone see you, your parents lied that you were born very sick and couldn't be exposed to anyone, except your parents, obviously. The only other adult who could see you was the Third Hokage; it was important for him to know so that you could get special care and not be disturbed by order of the Hokage himself. Your parents also trusted him and they were on good terms."

'This...This is unbelievable...' I think to myself.

"I'm willing to bet that your parents didn't want to tell you until you were much older," Madara says. "It was essential that you were old enough to understand. The Third Hokage probably didn't want you knowing until you were older as well, so he didn't bother mentioning it to you. He did tell, though, the Fourth Hokage so that he could keep a close eye on you. It was obvious that he grew fond of you for the time he was Hokage..."

"You were the one who released the Nine-Tailed fox on to the Leaf Village, weren't you?" I ask him in anger.

"That doesn't matter right now," Madara says. "What matters is you knowing the truth about your Sharingan abilities. I'm sure you have noticed that you can access the Mangekyō Sharingan and its abilities without paying the price of killing someone dear to you and taking their eyes."

I'm surprised.

"Yes, I've noticed that over the years I went missing..." I say, sternly looking at him.

"It's all because of your mutation," Madara says. "You were born with a mutated Sharingan that does not need the use of others' eyes. It's a mutation that I believe has never happened in the history of the Uchiha. Why do you think Orochimaru wanted to take your body and make you his host?"

I grimace in surprise.

"I had originally planned on taking you and making you join Akatsuki," Madara begins. "But Orochimaru took quicker actions and ended up kidnapping you and even branding you with the Curse Seal of Heaven."

"But how... How did you and Orochimaru find out I had a different Sharingan?" I ask in frustration.

"Information like that can never be fully kept as a secret," Madara responds. "It eventually leaked out to me and Orochimaru."

"But how do you know so much about me when I was born?" I ask in frustration.

"From your parents," he answers.

"My...parents?" I ask in surprise.

"In order to get my hands on you," he continues. "I had to get rid of them."

My eyes widen in shock at his last words.

"You..." I say while getting my teeth.

I lunge toward him with my katana ready in my hands.

"Please – you're in my world at the moment," Madara says.

Before I can reach him, I am frozen in the air. I am surprised a bit and am suddenly sent flying backward. With great force, I feel myself hit a hard wall and close my eyes with a grimace from the pain. I then open my eyes and see that I'm suspended on the wall and try to move. To my surprise, I see that I am chained onto the wall.

"Before killing your parents in the Third Great Ninja War," Madara explains. "I trapped them in my Tsukuyomi. I knew they wouldn't say anything with torture, so I skipped that and went straight to accessing their memories. From there, I attained all of the information about you. Although they did put up quite a fight before trapping them in my Tsukuyomi; they were very highly skilled ninja, I'll give them that."

"How could you?" I yell in anger, feeling tears form in my eyes.

"Like Sasuke," Madara says as he stands below, looking up at me. "You're going to have the choice of either going for the light and letting this pass, or stepping into the darkness and letting vengeance consume you."

Madara studies me for a moment.

"You also have the option of seeking revenge on Konoha for what they did to Itachi and your clan," he adds. "It's a good thing I've found out how to activate your mutated Sharingan," Madara says as he appears in front of me. "I learned quite a lot from your parents and the time you and I fought some years ago as well."

'He was the one who I fought,' I think to myself in surprise. 'He was the one who had his body clothed completely and had given me the first offer to join Akatsuki.'

He takes a hold of my face and makes me look up at him. He then gazes into my eyes with his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan eye, causing me to go wide eyed. I feel my Sharingan activate and begin to change. I feel myself tense up as I grimace in a bit of pain. Madara continues to gaze into my eyes intensely and I begin to scream out in more pain. My vision begins to blur a bit and I begin to feel myself fall. Madara has now released me from his Tsukuyomi, bringing us back to actual time at the inn. My body begins to feel numb and I close my eyes from the pain they're going through and drop my katana.

"My time with you guys was fun," Madara says to us. "Until next time."

With that, he disappears in a swirl from his eye. Kakashi sees me falling back into the huge hole of the inn.

"Denizu!" he says as he quickly deactivates his Chidori and jumps toward me.

Kakashi catches me in his arms and lands carefully on the floor of the room. He holds me in his arms and begins to hold my face with one hand.

"Denizu," Kakashi says with panic in his voice.

I don't answer him, not being able to withstand the pain from my eyes, and black out.


	14. Chapter 14

Part Fourteen

I've been unconscious for a while. Kakashi has inferred that Madara used his Tsukuyomi and has explained it to Yamato and Naruto since in their time it was only a matter of seconds before I collapsed.

I hear people talking; three male voices, and I recognize them all.

"You think she's going to wake up anytime soon, Kakashi sensei?" I hear a young man ask.

'Naruto...' I think to myself.

"I don't know, but let's hope it's soon and that she's all right."

'Kakashi...'

"Madara must have done something intense."

'Yamato...'

I begin to slowly move my head a bit.

"She's moving!" I hear Naruto say.

I begin to turn my head to my right, groaning a bit.

"Denizu," I hear Kakashi say as I feel him lean over my face.

I open my eyes slightly and stare at the wall. Kakashi tries to turn my face toward him. I quickly close my eyes, push Kakashi away, kick the covers off of me, and crawl away into the corner of the room.

"No! Don't look into my eyes!" I warn them, remembering all that Madara told me.

"What?" Kakashi says in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Madara activated my mutated Sharingan..." I say, keeping my right hand over my closed eyes. "If you look into them, I'm afraid you'll black out."

"Mutated Sharingan?" Yamato says in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Madara explained how I was born with this mutated Sharingan," I say. "I don't know, but if you look into my eyes while it's activated, you end up blacking out, or worse..."

"I have an idea," Kakashi says. "Naruto, summon two of your Shadow Clones."

"Huh?" Naruto says. "Oh, all right."

I hear the sound of a puff of smoke.

"Now, have your clone walk over to Denizu and look into her eyes," Kakashi says. "If anything, your clone will just simply disappear."

I hear the clones walk over and kneel in front of me. One of them gently removes my hand from my face, but I still keep my eyes closed.

"Denizu, make eye contact with one of them," Kakashi says.

I nod. Kakashi looks from the side and prepares to study my eyes. After a few seconds, I open them and make eye contact with one Naruto Shadow Clone. I look into his eyes and see him freeze up with his eyes widen, and he shrieks a bit, falling on his back. I panic and quickly close my eyes again while putting both of my hands over them.

"Interesting..." Kakashi says in wonder. "You can only affect someone if you make direct eye contact with them, but you can still target more than one if you wanted to. But what's even more intriguing is the ocular design of your Sharingan. There is a design on the central pupil in the middle of the tomoe."

"Will it stay like that for long?" Yamato asks.

"I'm not sure," I reply, still keeping my hands over my closed eyes. "When I was born, I had to be blindfolded for about a month to prevent from hurting anyone... I don't know if that'll still be the case, now that I'm older..."

Kakashi studies me carefully.

"Did Madara tell you about this in his Tsukuyomi?" Kakashi asks. "I know for a fact that you didn't have this when you were younger."

"He told me everything..." I say in a low tone. "This mutation of the Sharingan has never happened in the history of the Uchiha... With it, I'm granted more abilities to use with my Sharingan...I'm even able to escape someone else's Tsukuyomi without having to be related to them..."

Kakashi is surprised.

"What does that mean?" Yamato asks.

"In order to break away from Tsukuyomi," Kakashi explains. "You must carry the some blood as the one who is using it in order to cancel it out."

"So that means..." Naruto says. "Denizu sensei will be able to do it, regardless of who the Sharingan user is?"

"Precisely," Kakashi responds.

"But how did he know about your mutated Sharingan and about it being activated when you were born?" Yamato asks.

"He told me there was a leak with the information," I answer. "And as for the information of when I was born..."

I stay quiet for a moment, clenching my hands over my closed eyes.

"He obtained the information using Tsukuyomi on my parents before killing them," I answer with a grimace.

Everyone is shocked to hear this. I feel tears escaping my eyes as I begin to tremble. Kakashi stares at me with sorrow in his eyes.

"Finding out about my mutated Sharingan..." I begin to say through my tears. "Finding out about my parents being killed because of it... About Itachi and Sasuke...My clan..."

"Denizu..." Kakashi says softly as he slowly moves closer to hug me.

"It's just too much!" I say in frustration as I push Kakashi away.

I quickly get up and head out of the inn, tears rapidly flowing down my face. I step onto the cold snow with my bare feet as I feel the cold wind through my thin, navy blue, long sleeve shirt and black pants. I've opened my eyes, knowing that there's no one out. I suddenly feel someone pull my right arm and stop me.

"Denizu," I hear Kakashi says as he turns my body toward his.

I quickly close my eyes and place my left hand over my face as I put my head down.

"No, please, leave me alone!" I say in a weak voice as I shake my head.

"Denizu, listen to me," Kakashi says as he pulls me into his chest, wrapping his arms around me.

I stand there, crying into his chest.

"I know that all of what Madara said is affecting you," Kakashi says. "But we don't even know if it's completely true."

"It is..." I say weakly. "Now I understand why my father broke off his close ties with Sasuke's and Itachi's father... My father must have found out Fugaku's intentions with the whole clan... It makes sense because Fugaku no longer wanted me to train Itachi or Sasuke... But we still met up in secret, not caring what our parents thought..."

Kakashi is beginning to see the connection.

"Kakashi..." I say in a weak voice. "It was my fault... I'm the reason why my parents were killed..."

Kakashi looks down at me with his eyes full of sorrow.

'She's taking in so much...' Kakashi thinks, trying his best to hold back his own tears.

"It's my fault..." I say again.

"Denizu," Kakashi says, holding me close. "It wasn't your fault that you were born with the mutation. You can't blame yourself for your parents' deaths..."

I continue to cry softly.

"Your parents wouldn't want you to blame yourself," Kakashi continues. "They'd want you to know that you're gifted. Knowing the type of ninja that they were, I'm sure they'd want you to use your abilities to protect the ones you love..."

Kakashi's words hit me hard.

"Thank you... Kakashi..." I say in a whisper.

Kakashi notices I'm beginning to tremble. He takes his jonin vest off and places it over my shoulders as I cross my arms and shiver. He also notices my feet are getting red and lifts me up bridal style and begins to walk back to the inn.

"Know that I'm going to help you get through this," Kakashi whispers to me. "And know that I love you."

He leans his head down and kisses my forehead through his mask.

"I love you too, Kakashi," I whisper with a small smile, opening my eyes a little without looking up at him.

Kakashi begins to walk back to the inn.

"For now," he says. "We have to keep what Madara said to ourselves. We can't completely trust his words, and we can't tell anyone about what he said. The village is undergoing reconstruction; we can't afford to cause more mayhem."

"I understand..." I say to him.

Kakashi walks back into the inn and carefully sets me down on the mat I was laying on earlier. I sit up on the mat, keeping my eyes closed. I feel Kakashi bring some blankets over to me.

"Denizu sensei," I hear Naruto say as he kneels next to me. "I have an extra-long bandage so you can cover your eyes with it if you want."

"Thank you, Naruto," I say with a smile. "I'd really appreciate that. It'll prevent me from accidentally opening my eyes a bit and hurting you guys."

"Let me help you wrap it around," Naruto says as he gets closer to me.

I lift some of my hair up to make it easier for Naruto to wrap the bandage. He carefully wraps it around my head over my eyes. As soon as he's finished, I let my hair down over the bandages.

"Thank you, Naruto," I say with a warm smile. "I feel more secure now."

After a few seconds of silence, I feel Naruto embrace me tightly. I am surprised at this and sit still, wondering why he's embracing me.

"I know that you've learned things from Madara that are hurting you and confusing you a lot," Naruto begins to say in a calm voice. "You're capable of understanding both me and Sasuke... Know that I believe you're strong to fight the darkness that may tempt you... Like I had told Sasuke, don't take vengeance as an answer."

I sit still in complete surprise, moved by his words. I then quickly embrace him back. Kakashi and Yamato watch with looks of awe, knowing this is a bonding moment between me and Naruto.

"I know taking the path into darkness isn't the answer," I say to him. "I was raised to think better than that. No matter how far I may find myself falling into the darkness, I know I have people who will help pull me out and help me get back up on my feet again."

Naruto feels tears forming in his eyes, and then he smiles.

"You've given me more inspiration, Denizu sensei!" he says after letting go of me.

I smile warmly at him as some of my hair falls back to the side of my face.

"Hey! You Leaf ninja! Come out here now!" someone calls from outside in anger.

"Looks like it's the owner of the inn," Yamato says with a sigh. "He's certainly not happy about the remodeling of his inn..."

"Come on, let's go talk to him," Kakashi says to Yamato.

"I'm going too," I say as I push the covers off of me.

"Oh no you won't," Kakashi says as he stops me in my tracks. "You're staying in here where it's warm."

"Kakashi, please," I say. "It's not going to get any warmer with that huge hole in this inn."

Yamato points and grins at Kakashi, knowing I have a point. Kakashi sighs in defeat.

"All right, just make sure to wear your ninja sandals and cloak to stay warm." Kakashi says as he brings them over to me. "I don't want you getting sick."

I quickly put my ninja sandals and vest on and quickly head to the hole in the inn.

"Ah, ah, ah! Not so fast. Let me help you down," Kakashi says as he grabs a hold of me. "Remember that you can't see right now."

"Kakashi, please," I say. "I survived an explosion and many other things worse than that. A fall won't hurt me that much."

"Wait — what do you mean by other things worse than that?" Kakashi says, looking at me in disbelief.

I scoff with a smile and quickly jump down. Kakashi twitches in a bit of panic and jumps down after me. He stands close to me and leads me next to the owner of the inn and Yamato who are talking.

"Look at what you've done!" the owner of the inn yells in frustration. "That's why I hate ninja."

"I–I'm sorry," Yamato says with an apologetic smile as he bows a bit. "I'll make sure it's repaired."

"Please, sir," I say with a pleading smile, walking over to the owner. "Please don't have any hard feelings. We're going to make sure it's repaired as soon as possible."

He gives me a surprised look as he sees that I'm blindfolded and feels bad.

"Uh, no, it's all right," the owner says in a lower and polite voice. "I apologize for making such a fuss," he says with a slight bow.

"Thank you," I say with a warm smile. "We'll get it repaired in no time. Right, Yamato?"

"Yes," Yamato says with another apologetic smile.

He then turns to the damaged inn and performs a few hand signs. Wood begins to appear and cover the hole in the roof of the inn, leaving it well repaired. The owner watches in a bit of amazement.

"You ninja are troublesome," the owner says. "But you know how to make up for it quickly."

"Thank you for understanding," I say to the owner with a bow.

"Please, do not worry, miss," the owner says with a smile. "Please do rest."

I give him a nod with a thanking smile, and he then takes his leave.

"You seem to know how to talk to men," Yamato teases. "Looks like Kakashi will have to keep a close eye on you."

"It was nothing, really," I say with a smile and sweat drop. "He was nice because I'm a lady and blindfolded."

I chuckle while rubbing the back of my head as Yamato points and laughs at my sheepishness. Kakashi watches and smiles under his mask.

"Where's Naruto?" I then ask in curiosity.

"He's up on the rooftop, working on his nature chakra," Yamato answers as he looks up at Naruto.

"It's getting cold out," Kakashi says. "Tell him it's time to head inside."

Yamato nods and jumps on the rooftop near Naruto.

"Naruto, come inside soon," Yamato says.

We then hear the sounds of people's footsteps. I turn in the direction of the sound and so does Kakashi. He's surprised once he sees who it is.

"Who is it, Kakashi?" I ask.

"It's Sakura, Kiba with Akamaru, Lee, and Sai," Kakashi answers.

"Finally found you!" Kiba says as he rides on Akamaru.

"Sakura..." Naruto says in surprise as he turns to look at them from the rooftop. "Sai, Kiba, and even Bushy Brows?"

"Why did you all come here?" Kakashi asks.

"Naruto..." Sakura says, looking up at him. "I need to talk to you."

Naruto looks down at her in surprise and wonder. He then jumps down, along with Yamato behind him. Naruto stands in front of me, Kakashi, and Yamato, ready to listen. Sakura stands a few feet away from Naruto, facing him.

'She sounds serious...' I think to myself. 'I wonder if something's happened...'

"Naruto," she says. "I'm in love with you."

We're surprised at her words. Naruto stares at her in surprise and wonder.

"W–What did you just say, Sakura?" Naruto asks in confusion. "I think I heard wrong. Could you say that again?"

"I said..." Sakura begins to say with a slight blush. "I...love you, Naruto."

Naruto is completely surprised at her words.

"I said Sasuke doesn't mean anything to me anymore," Sakura says. "I must have been crazy to carry a torch for him for so long. Listen carefully when someone confesses her feelings for you!"

Naruto continues to stare at her in confusion and surprise. His gaze then turns into a stern one.

"But why? What for?" Naruto asks in a serious tone. "This isn't the place to be joking around! It's not funny, Sakura! What's going on?"

"Nothing, really!" Sakura says, shaking her head. "I just woke up. Why should I love a Rogue Ninja who's a criminal? I'm not a child anymore; I can face reality. So Naruto, you can forget about that promise you made to me. You can stop chasing after Sasuke, alright?"

"What's going on?" Yamato says, about to step in, but Kakashi stops him.

"Sakura, did something happen?" Naruto asks. "This is all so sudden."

"Nothing happened!" Sakura says as she begins to walk toward Naruto. "It's obvious why I fell in love with you."

She then slowly embraces him. Everyone stares in thought.

"Sasuke keeps getting farther and farther away from me," Sakura says. "But Naruto, you've always stuck by my side and cheered me up. Naruto, I finally realized...your true self. Even that time with Pain... You returned when you were needed most – the hero who protected the village. Today, everyone in the village admires you. And I'm simply one of them now... You used to be a prank-loving loser... But now you've become a wonderful person. And I've witnessed it all, first-hand. Meanwhile, Sasuke keeps adding to his crimes, and breaking my heart...always becoming more of a stranger... But you Naruto, I'm able to be close to you like this. You comfort me. I care about you, from the bottom of my heart..."

"Cut it out, Sakura!" Naruto exclaims while putting his hands on her shoulders and pushing her back. "This joke isn't funny at all!"

Sakura stares at him in surprise.

"Why are you so upset?" Sakura asks. "I'm just telling you that I like you now instead of Sasuke. You know the saying, 'women are as fickle as the autumn weather.'"

"I hate people who lie to themselves..." Naruto seriously says, staring sternly at Sakura.

Sakura looks at him with wide eyes.

"I'm lying to myself?" she asks, now upset, pushing Naruto's hands off her shoulders. "I'm the one who decides how I feel! If you hate me, just come out and say so! Don't just make up a convenient excuse."

"But it doesn't make sense!" Naruto says. "You came all the way out here just to tell me that?"

"'Just' to tell you?" Sakura says in an upset tone. "'Just?' You don't think it's a big deal for a girl to profess her love? I came 'all the way out here'? Of course, I'd come all the way out here! Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke! That's all you think about! Going after Sasuke and putting yourself in danger! You're the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki and the Akatsuki are after you! Worry about yourself for a change. I'm saying that it's not necessary to endanger yourself just to chase after Sasuke! I want you to come back to the village now, that's why I'm here. That's all!"

Naruto stares at her with wide eyes. He then lowers his gaze.

"I think it just sounds like a painful excuse," Naruto says sternly. I know you pretty well, Sakura."

"Then why don't you understand?" she says. "I don't care about Sasuke now that he's a criminal. So the promise between us doesn't matter anymore."

"It's not just about the promise," Naruto says, closing his eyes and lowering his head. "I kind of understand more now, about why Sasuke has become obsessed with revenge and is causing so much damage..."

Naruto gazes down in sorrow at the snow covered ground.

"Sasuke loved his family and his clan," Naruto continues. "Because his love was so deep, it's hard for him to forgive..."

I clench my right hand a bit, trying to hold in my emotions. I then feel Kakashi take a hold of it.

"If he were so devoted," Kiba steps in. "Why would he join the Akatsuki after defeating the unforgivable Itachi?"

"That's not how it went down..." Naruto says in a low voice. "What really happened..."

"Naruto!" Kakashi says sternly.

Everyone looks surprised. Naruto is then surprised at himself, almost revealing what Madara had said.

"Naruto..." I softly say.

"It doesn't matter, even if there's no promise between us anymore," Sakura says.

"I personally want to save Sasuke," Naruto says.

Sakura stares at him sternly. Kiba then walks up to her and whispers something in her ear. She then suddenly steps on Kiba's foot and begins to walk away, leaving Kiba yelping in a bit of pain.

"Forget it! I'm going back..." Sakura says, continuing to walk away. "Let's go, Kiba, Lee, Sai!"

"Sakura..." Lee says as he stares after her.

"Let's go..." Kiba says as he begins to follow Sakura.

They begin to walk away. Naruto stands there, still in confusion and disbelief. It then becomes quiet between us.

'There's clearly something wrong...' I think to myself.

"Come on," Kakashi says. "Let's head inside."

Kakashi puts a hand on my lower back and begins to lead me to the door of our inn. Naruto opens the sliding door and is about to step in, but we then hear someone approaching.

"Sai? What are you doing here?" Naruto asks.

"It's a clone," Kakashi states.

"I'm going to tell you what Sakura really wanted to say earlier, but couldn't," Sai's clone says.

"'Really wanted to say'?" Naruto says in confusion.

We stand there, waiting for Sai's clone to continue.

"What do you mean, Sai?" I ask.

"Sakura didn't come to confess her love for you," Sai's clone says to Naruto. "The Hidden Leaf Ninja have come to a consensus; I'm here to inform you."

"I thought it was strange..." Naruto says. "So she was hiding something after all."

"I've come to understand her feelings," Sai continues. "Why Sakura couldn't bring herself to tell you."

"Tell me, Sai..." Naruto says. "About the consensus."

We await him to answer.

"The Hidden Leaf will deal with Sasuke," Sai finally says. "Every one of your comrades is committed to that and will act accordingly."

We're all completely shocked.

"W–What?" I say in a tone of disbelief.

"Did Sakura...Did Sakura really agree to that?" Naruto asks. "Sakura loves Sasuke so much! And yet... How could she?"

"After Akatsuki's attack on our village," Sai says. "The Hidden Leaf Ninja can no longer recognize Sasuke as one of their own, not after he supported the Akatsuki... Sakura is not a fool. She's not a child who wouldn't understand the difficulty of the situation. That's why we came here in person to try to explain it to you."

Kakashi shakes his head in disapproval. I turn my head slightly to him, noticing his reaction.

"Then why didn't she just come out and tell me the truth?" Naruto says in frustration.

"It wasn't that simple; you know that," Sai answers. "She understood how hurt you would feel."

"But still..." Naruto says.

"By telling you she's given up on Sasuke and declaring her love for you," Sai continues. "She was freeing you from the burden of that promise you made. And still, you insisted on rescuing Sasuke. I believe that's why she couldn't tell you the truth... Because she was thinking about your feelings. In fact, she probably expected you to say that. To be honest, Sakura made us promise not to tell you the truth. She said she would tell you somehow... She said it was her duty to do so."

"But if she was expecting Naruto's reaction," I step in. "She never intended to tell him the truth, right?"

"What is Sakura planning to do?" Yamato asks.

"This is just an assumption on my part," Sai answers. "But I believe Sakura..."

"She intends to kill Sasuke herself," Kakashi says.

"Is that true, Sai?" I ask in surprise.

"Sakura smiled and told everyone she would cooperate," Sai answers. "But this time.I saw through her fake smile."

"No way...Sakura wouldn't do such a thing..." Naruto says in disbelief. "She's crazy about Sasuke—"

"It's because she loves him so much that she can't bear to watch Sasuke turn more and more evil."

Naruto looks at him in surprise.

"It's because she loves him so much that she wants to save Sasuke from this path of evil," Sai continues. "Even if that means killing the one she loves with her own hands. That's how committed she is to her love for Sasuke. And in doing so, Naruto...she's prepared to accept your hatred. It's her way of atoning for the lifelong burden she placed on you... Until now, Sakura relied on you too much. This time, she intends to resolve everything alone."

"Sai..." Naruto says in a low voice. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"It wasn't my intention," Sai answers. "But I'm partly to blame for provoking Sakura. That's why I told you. I couldn't ignore what Sakura is doing... And besides, I belong to Team 7."

"I see..." Naruto says, gazing down in sorrow.

Naruto then places his hand on his face, clearly upset after hearing what Sai has said. I know the pain he's going through right now, and I walk up to him, knowing that he's just a few feet in front of me.

"Naruto..." I say softly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

We then hear someone arrive. We turn and see three Sand Ninja.

"There is something you must hear immediately," the young woman with dark blonde hair in two small ponytails says. "We will tell you everything that happened at the Five Kage Summit."

"Who are they?" I whisper to Kakashi.

"It's Gaara, the Kazekage of the Sunagakure and his two siblings, Temari and Kankuro," Kakashi answers me.

"What's happened?" Yamato asks them.

"Madara Uchiha and the Akatsuki attacked the Five Kage Summit," Temari answers. "There was a great struggle trying to stop the Akatsuki, even with all the five Kage present."

"Danzo, the Leaf's current Hokage, also ran off," Kankuro adds.

We are all surprised.

"I see..." Yamato says, crossing his arms. "Who would have thought the meeting would become so intense. I guess with Danzo... Well, Kakashi was also nominated for the position of the Hokage at the meeting."

I am surprised to hear this.

"I'm not too eager about becoming the Hokage," Kakashi says. "And even if the situation requires me to accept...I'll have to the return to Hidden Leaf Village first and hear what the others say."

"Madara has declared war on us!" Temari says. "There's no time to deliberate."

"I'm sure everyone will approve," Yamato says, looking at Kakashi. "We should have them proceed on the premise that you are the Hokage, Kakashi. If our response is delayed, and the Akatsuki and Madara take the advantage, that would be even worse."

"I guess you're right," Kakashi says, turning his head to Yamato with a slight tilt. "Thanks..."

'Kakashi...Hokage?' I think to myself in wonder.

Naruto stands there, staring at the snowy ground in silence.

"And Sasuke..." Yamato says. "For him to attack the summit..."

"Naruto, this is a battle to protect the Eight-Tails and the Nine-Tails, namely you," Gaara says. "And it's also for the ninja world. As the Kazekage, I would give my life to protect you... If Sasuke Uchiha confronts the Allied Shinobi Forces as a member of the Akatsuki, I will show no mercy."

Everyone stares at Naruto.

"Sasuke doesn't care about you," Gaara continues to tell Naruto. "All he wants is darkness."

Naruto looks up at Gaara in surprise.

"Naruto, you told me, 'I am going to be the Hokage,'" Gaara says. "I have become the Kazekage."

Gaara then walks over to Naruto and puts a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"If you are prepared to bear the burden of being a Kage," Gaara continues. "Then do what's right as Sasuke's friend."

Naruto stares at him for a bit, then slowly looks down and bumps Gaara's arm away from him. Everyone stares in a bit of astonishment. Gaara just gazes at Naruto, who is staring down at the ground.

"We've said everything we needed to say," Temari says. "Let's go, Gaara. We will return to our village. Kakashi Hatake... With the understanding that you will be Hokage, the Sand will take action. As allied nations, I pray that there will be no conflicting intel between us."

I then remember all that Madara had explained.

"Understood..." Kakashi says.

I lower my head after hearing Kakashi. He then takes a gentle hold of my forearm, a gesture of comfort and apology. Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro then begin to take their leave, but Gaara stops after a few steps.

"I consider you my friend," Gaara says to Naruto.

Naruto looks up at him in surprise.

"In the past, 'friend' was merely a word to me," Gaara continues. "Nothing more, nothing less... But after meeting you, you made me realize that the meaning of that word is what's important... What does it mean? What can you do for Sasuke? Think hard about that."

Naruto stares at him in wonder.

"Let's go," Gaara says.

With that, Gaara and his siblings take their leave. Naruto stands there, beginning to think about what Gaara said.

"Naruto..." Yamato says as he begins to walk over but is then stopped by Kakashi.

"Let him find the answer himself," Kakashi says to Yamato.

Naruto continues to gaze down at the ground with an upset and frustrated face. There's a brief silence between us. I too stare down at the ground, hurt at the news of Sasuke. Kakashi notices how I am feeling and stares at me in a bit of worry.

"So? What do we do now?" Yamato asks. "In any case, I think we should return to the Hidden Leaf and report what happened at the summit. And also about Sakura."

"The real me is accompanying Sakura," Sai's clone says. "She won't be allowed to get near Sasuke; you can count on that."

"But it would be better to go in person and talk her out of it," Kakashi says.

Kakashi lifts his head up a bit, sighs, and then looks sternly ahead.

"All right," he says. "Yamato, take Naruto and head back to the village. I'll bring Sakura back; she's no match for Sasuke. It would be like she's going there to die."

"I'm coming too," I say, stepping forward a bit.

"No, Denizu," Kakashi says, holding me back. "You're clearly in no condition to be wandering about, especially at a risky moment to run into some trouble. I don't want to risk getting you into any fighting."

"But Kakashi—" I begin to say.

"No! You're staying and going back to the Leaf Village with Yamato and Naruto," Kakashi says sternly, keeping a firm grip on my shoulders.

I turn my head away from him, clearly upset. He looks at me with a serious face, knowing he's gotten me mad.

"Promise me you won't do anything reckless in your condition," Kakashi says to me in a softer voice.

I don't answer him and lower my head. Kakashi then lets go of me and turns to his side.

"I'll dispatch the Ninja Hounds with a report about the summit since it's urgent," Kakashi says.

"Understood," Yamato answers.

"Sai, take me to Sakura," Kakashi says, turning to Sai's clone.

"Yes," he answers.

We then suddenly hear Naruto beginning to breathe loudly. He puts a hand on his chest and begins to heave heavily.

"Naruto, is something wrong?" Kakashi asks.

Naruto suddenly drops to his knees on the snow and falls to his side.

"Naruto!" I say in worry as I quickly head over to him.

I kneel next to him and out my hand on his arm, resisting the urge to take the bandage off my eyes. He continues to breathe quickly. Kakashi, Yamato, and Sai's clone walk over too.

"Calm down, Naruto!" I say to him in panic and worry.

"He's hyperventilating," Yamato says.

"Breathe slowly," I say to Naruto.

"Naruto!" Kakashi calls out to him in worry. "Naruto, can you hear me?"

There's no response from Naruto, and he passes out. Kakashi then kneels down, picks Naruto up, and begins to head inside the inn.

"Yamato, please help Denizu inside," Kakashi says as he walks through the door of the inn.

Yamato nods and takes a hold of my arm. He leads me inside the inn while Kakashi walks into a room and sets Naruto down on a mat on the floor. He covers Naruto up with a light blanket and stands up.

"Stay here until Naruto wakes up," Kakashi says to Yamato. "Once he feels better, head back to the village with Denizu and Naruto."

"Yes," Yamato says with a nod.

Kakashi then walks over to me and puts his hands on my shoulders.

"Denizu," he begins. "Please don't do anything reckless, all right?" Kakashi says in a low pleading tone.

I lower my head before slowly nodding. He puts a hand on my cheek and caresses it quickly before heading to the door.

"Let's go, Sai," Kakashi says as he heads out the door.

Sai nods and follows him, closing the sliding door behind them. I stand there with my head still lowered.

"I'll be keeping an eye on Naruto," Yamato says as he walks over to me. "It's been a long day for you too; go get some rest."

He leads me into one of the rooms and to the mat on the floor. I kneel down and sit as Yamato lets go of me, making sure I am careful.

"Thank you, Yamato," I say to him with a smile.

"No problem," he says.

He then walks out of the room and closes the door behind him. I then crawl under the sleeping mat and lie down, turning my body to my left side. There's complete silence in the room as I face the direction where falling snow is seen outside of my window.

'I have to find a way to control this Sharingan...' I think to myself. 'But how?'

I feel myself feel very drowsy.

'If only you guys were here to help me out...mom and dad...' I think to myself as I drift off into sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

Part Fifteen

I wake up to darkness, remembering that I have my blindfold on. I stay still for a bit before sighing, lying on my side.

'How long have I been sleeping?' I wonder to myself. 'I wonder how Naruto is doing... And Sakura... And Kakashi...'

I fiddle with the soft edge of the green blanket a bit. After a few seconds, I sigh heavily and place my hand firmly on the floor as I come up with an idea.

'Maybe this will work...' I say, quickly sitting up. 'If Madara was able to activate my mutated Sharingan with his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, perhaps looking into my own will cancel the dangers of my mutated Sharingan out.'

I quickly perform a few hand signs and summon a shadow clone. I begin to take the blindfold off and throw it to the side. I squint a bit before fully opening my eyes and looking around the dimly lit room. I look up at my shadow clone's eyes, both sets of our eyes activated with the mutated Sharingan. As I look into my clone's eyes, I feel my pupils and the tomoe shift a bit in a circular motion and see it in the eyes of my clone as well. The tomoe and pupils spin in opposite directions for a bit, and then come to a stop. I blink my eyes a few times and look around. My blurred vision then becomes very clear as I gaze at the window of the room.

"I think I did it..." I whisper to myself. "Thank you," I say to my clone before making her disappear in a puff of smoke.

I stand up quickly and head over to my ninja sandals.

'I have to get to Kakashi and Sakura as fast as possible,' I think to myself as I finish putting my sandals on. 'Who knows what kind of trouble they can run into.'

In a hurry, I don't grab the jonin vest and just take my katana. I quickly take my white, winter cloak and put it on as I head for the window.

'Yamato will have to excuse me,' I think to myself as I open my window.

I quickly and quietly jump out and head in the direction where I sense the bit of Kakashi's chakra. I continue to run quickly and am surprised to feel a familiar chakra trail.

'I sense Naruto's chakra as well,' I think to myself as I leap onto a snowy tree branch. 'He must have ditched Yamato, too.'

I leap from tree branch to tree branch as quickly as possible.

'Naruto must have left not too long ago,' I continue to think to myself. 'The traces of his chakra are almost fading, but I can still pick it up much better than Kakashi's... I'll concentrate on Naruto's chakra instead.'

After a long while of leaping from tree to tree, I finally reach the area where the snow ends. I sprint quickly through the forest, anxious to get to my team.

'I hope everything isn't too hectic,' I think to myself. 'The last thing I want is them getting hurt.'

I jump onto a tree branch and leap from one branch to another again.

'I haven't tested to see if my mutated Sharingan has safely activated... My only chance is to find out is if they've run into trouble...'

I check my weapon pouches and make sure I'm well equipped.

A few more minutes of running pass as I swiftly move.

'Kakashi must be thinking if I'm considering betraying the village... After all that Madara informed us of... I should be leaving the Leaf and planning to attack it myself...'

I land on the ground again and sense Naruto's chakra again and head toward its direction.

'But no...I'm not taking that path...'

After sometime, I finally reach a clear area where I spot a bridge. To my surprise, it's heavily damaged.

'Looks like there was some trouble here...' I think to myself as I land on the bridge.

I run and jump over the huge hole in the bridge toward a young woman on the ground on the other side. I kneel down to her, seeing that she's been hurt but taken care of.

"Are you all right?" I ask her.

She opens her eyes slowly and looks into my eyes in surprise.

"Y-You...have those same eyes as Sasuke.. But yours are different." she says in a weak voice.

"Sasuke?" I say in surprise. "Is he here?"

"He's down in the river under the bridge...fighting who I believe are his former teammates..."

'Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura,' I think to myself.

I then sense and hear people down below near the bridge in the water.

"I'll be back," I say to her before standing up.

I jump on the ledge of the bridge and look down. To my shock, I see Kakashi standing in the river right below me in a weak condition. He's about to be hit by an arrow of a large, light purple-chakra consumed being on the far right end of the bridge, summoned by someone down below in the river some twenty feet away from Kakashi. I gasp as I recognize the large being.

'That's...' I think to myself in shock as my eyes widen. "Kakashi!" I say in worry and panic as I jump down quickly.

I fall quickly down below toward Kakashi and see the light purple-chakra consumed being shoot the arrow at Kakashi.

'I'm going to have to use it,' I think to myself with a grimace and activate my Mangekyō Sharingan.

Landing in front of Kakashi, I stand in a fighting stance. Kakashi is surprised to see me and is even more shocked to see a light red-chakra glowing being in front of me, blocking the light purple-chakra consumed being's arrow. I look far ahead and spot the person who summoned the being to shoot the large arrow: Sasuke.

"Denizu..." Kakashi mutters, his eye wide. "Is this...?"

"Kakashi..." I say, staring sternly at Sasuke. "Get to safety."

Kakashi shakes his head a bit, snapping out of his shock. I turn my gaze to my far left some thirty feet away and see Naruto and Sakura, also shocked at my summoned being.

"Go tend to Sakura and Naruto," I say to Kakashi, returning my gaze to Sasuke's direction. "I'll handle Sasuke."

"I'm not leaving you," Kakashi says sternly.

Knowing that Kakashi won't leave, I decide to let him stay. I look at Sasuke and see that his eyes are wide in complete shock, staring at me.

"It seems you have learned to awaken the Susano'o," I say to Sasuke. "It's been many years, hasn't it, Sasuke?"

He continues to stare at me in surprise. Suddenly, he grimaces and covers his bleeding eyes and grits his teeth in pain.

'He's been using it too much...' I think to myself.

His Susano'o being begins to disappear as he hunches forward a bit in pain. Knowing that he won't be using it anymore, I decide to make my own disappear.

"Sasuke..." I say looking at him sternly as I walk toward him.

"D-Denizu?" he asks, looking up at me in disbelief. "You're...alive?"

"That doesn't really matter right now," I say deactivating my Mangekyō Sharingan to its mutated form. "What matters now is helping you and convincing you to come back to the village."

"Don't you get it?" Sasuke says in anger. "Do you have any idea what they did to Itachi? To our clan? How can you side with them?"

"Sasuke isn't the same person you knew anymore," Kakashi says, standing next to me on my right.

Naruto then appears on my left, staring at Sasuke intently.

"Sasuke..." he says.

"What?" Sasuke responds in a plain tone.

"I heard the truth about Itachi from a guy named Tobi."

Sasuke looks at him in surprise.

"I don't know for sure if what he said is really true or not," Naruto continues. "But it doesn't matter. What you've been doing is...understandable."

Kakashi and I look at Naruto in a bit of surprise. Sasuke looks at Naruto, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists.

"Naruto..." Sasuke says. "I told you before...You don't have parents or siblings, so you couldn't possibly understand me. So outsiders can keep their mouth shut!"

"Do you know what Naruto has gone through for you?" Sakura says, appearing next to Naruto. "No matter what rumors we hear about you, he never stops thinking of you as a friend... While everyone targeted you...Naruto alone tried to rescue you! Even now..."

"Rescue me?" Sasuke says. "From what?"

"Well, from..." Sakura begins but looks down and hesitates.

"From revenge..." Naruto finishes her sentence. "I swear I'll save you from the chaos of vengeance."

"There's no need for that," Sasuke says with a slight evil smile. "The stage has already been set for my vengeance to happen."

We look at him in surprise.

"Just a while ago..." Sasuke continues. "I finally got to take revenge on one of Itachi's enemies. I killed a high-ranking elder of the Hidden Leaf. Someone named Danzo."

We look at Sasuke in disbelief.

'He killed Danzo?' I think to myself.

"I've never felt like this before," Sasuke says, holding his arms out with a smile of evil pleasure. "I feel the tainted Uchiha name becoming cleansed. I feel the Uchiha getting free from this rotting ninja world. You guys couldn't even begin to understand...Not even you, Denizu," he says glaring at me. "And isn't what I'm doing exactly what you Leaf ninja wanted all along? You've always snubbed and put down the Uchiha. So I'll help erase the Uchiha from your memories. I'm going to kill all of you and destroy the Hidden Leaf!"

We stare at him sternly.

"Severing all bonds to the Hidden Leaf is the ultimate purification!" Sasuke says. "And that shall lead to the Uchiha's true restoration!"

Suddenly, Naruto summons two of his shadow clones, but Kakashi holds his arm out to make him stop.

"This is my task," Kakashi says.

I look at him in surprise.

"Denizu, Naruto, Sakura. Get out of here," Kakashi orders.

"I'm not leaving your side," I say as I step up close next to him.

"But Kakashi sensei-" Sakura says.

"If you stay, you'll see things you do not want to see," Kakashi interrupts. "Now go!"

"I..." Sakura begins again.

"Sakura, the poison-laced kunai Shizune taught you how to use won't kill Sasuke," Kakashi interrupts once more. "Orochimaru gave him resistance to poisons. What's more, you've come to terms with your feelings, right?"

Sakura is surprised and gives a hurtful, tearing look. Sasuke then activates his chidori and begins to walk forward. Kakashi also activates his own chidori, ready to engage. They both stare at one another intently.

"Kakashi sensei..." Naruto says. "This 'something' I don't want to see...Are you going to kill Sasuke?"

I look at Kakashi in wonder and surprise after hearing Naruto's words.

"Go! The three of you!" Kakashi orders again.

Suddenly, two of Naruto's clones grab me and Kakashi from the back and hold us in a lock. Naruto then uses two of his clones to form a ball of chakra in his hand and quickly runs toward Sasuke. Sasuke also runs toward Naruto with his chidori ready.

"Now's my chance; I'm not holding back!" Sasuke says.

"Wait, Naruto!" Kakashi calls out.

"Naruto!" I call out in a panic as I see them run toward one another.

"Naruto!" Sakura also calls out in a panic.

After a few seconds, they both clash into one another with their jutsu, causing the water to splash everywhere around them and then us. Sasuke and Naruto are sent flying back from the impact of their jutsu clashing. Kakashi quickly escapes the clone's hold and jumps to catch Naruto. I quickly escape the clone's grip as well and head for Sakura, carrying her back some feet to safety. Sasuke lands near the rocky side next to the bridge. We all land some feet back and turn to Sasuke's direction. Putting Sakura down, I see a man of white color and green messy hair with his side distorted standing next to Sasuke.

'Zetsu...' I think to myself. 'So Sasuke _is_ having affiliations with the Akatsuki...'

We stare at both of them and they stare back at us. Sasuke is having trouble breathing as he heaves quickly.

"Naruto," Kakashi says as he holds Naruto in his arms. "I told you to go back to the village."

Kakashi then glances over at me with the same look.

"Now..." Naruto says in a low voice as he stands up by himself, looking up toward Sasuke. "It's all clear."

"'It's all clear?'" I ask him in confusion. "What do you mean, Naruto?"

Naruto and Sasuke continue to stare at one another. We await Naruto's answer.

Suddenly, Madara appears in a spiral from his Space-Time Migration jutsu next to Sasuke and Zetsu.

"What's going on, Sasuke?" Madara asks. "I told you to go home and rest."

I glare angrily at Madara as I clench my fists. Kakashi notices and is prepared to move in case I engage Madara. Madara looks over to my direction and seems surprised.

"Ah, Denizu," Madara says. "How nice to see you again. It seems that you've found a way to control your mutated Sharingan," he continues. "It's no surprise coming from you... And the Nine-Tails, too, huh?" he says turning his attention to Naruto.

Kakashi and I gaze at Madara, watching him closely.

"It seems you cannot suppress the urge to fight when you two are together," Madara says, referring to Naruto and Sasuke. "I'll arrange a proper place for you to hunt the Nine-Tails... For now, we retreat."

"I'll fight in your stead," Zetsu says with a smile. "Since we need the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki anyway."

Suddenly, multiple Zetsus emerge from the water. Kakashi and I stand ready in front of Naruto and Sakura.

"Zetsu," Madara says, turning to him. "You can't capture Naruto. The Nine-Tails will be too much for a non-combat type like you. I'm going to let Sasuke get the Nine-Tails; it's for my enjoyment as well."

"Oh, is that so?" Zetsu says in a bit of disappointment.

"But I'm concerned about Kisame," Madara says as the Zetsu clones begin to go back into the water. "So go to him. And rendezvous with Black Zetsu."

"Okay, okay, I understand," Zetsu says.

Kakashi and I stare sternly at them. We then see Naruto stepping toward them, surprising us.

"Naruto!" Kakashi says to him.

"I'm all right," Naruto responds as he continues to walk forward. "But I need to make sure I say something to Sasuke."

I see Madara kneel down to Sasuke.

"Let's go, Sasuke," he says.

"Wait," Sasuke says, looking at Naruto.

Madara turns his attention to Naruto, who is standing some twenty feet away from them. Sasuke too stands up and stares intently at Naruto.

"Sasuke," Naruto calls out. "Do you remember? Do you remember what you said to me long ago in the Final Valley? The thing about high-level shinobi. Clashing face-to-face. Just now, we learned things from just trading blows with each other... It means we've become high-level shinobi, you and me. Sasuke...were you able to read what was inside of my heart? And you saw it, didn't you? That if you and I fight...we will both die."

We stare at Naruto after hearing his words. Everyone stays quiet for a moment.

"Sasuke..." Naruto says again. "If you attack the Hidden Leaf, I will have to fight you. Save your hatred until then. At that time, throw all of your hatred at me. The only one who can handle all that hatred is me. Only I can fulfill that duty...And on that day, I'll bear the burden of your hate and die with you!"

Sasuke's mouth twitches with a grimace.

"What is it with you, Naruto?" Sasuke says in frustration. "Just what the hell do you want? Why are you so fixated on me?"

"Because you're my friend," Naruto immediately answers with a friendly smile.

Sasuke's eyes widen in shock to hear his words. We all stare at Sasuke, knowing that Naruto's words have hit some part inside him.

"Sasuke..." Naruto begins. "I knew from the moment we first met that it was going to take more than just ordinary means to understand you. Exchanging fists is how we understand each other, that's for sure," Naruto says with a determined smile, holding his fist up toward Sasuke. "Like I said just now: it means we've become high-level shinobi... I'm not giving up yet. I'm taking you back to the Hidden Leaf Village! That's something I'll never give up on!"

'Naruto...' I say, gazing at him in wonder.

Naruto chuckles a bit.

"Well, I've rambled on enough," he says. "Damn it. A poor talker like me lecturing you — it's not my style... If we both end up dying..." he says as he rubs his forehead. "You won't be an Uchiha and I won't be the Nine-Tail's Jinchuriki - we'll be free of all our burdens. And we'll finally be able to understand each other in the next world!"

I stare at Naruto with a look of wonder at hearing his words. There's a moment of silence as Naruto gazes at Sasuke with a warm, friendly smile.

"I don't plan on changing," Sasuke says. "Nor am I interested in understanding you. And I don't plan on dying; you're the one who's going to die."

"If I die, we both die, Sasuke," Naruto says, keeping a smile on his face.

Sasuke looks at Naruto with a smirk.

"Fine then; I'll kill you first," he says.

"It's clear you still haven't acknowledged me yet," Naruto says, gazing at him intently.

"Enough, Naruto," Kakashi says. "I'll take Sasuke on... You have your precious dream of becoming the Hokage. I can't let Sasuke take you down with him."

"How can I become the Hokage if I can't even save one friend?" Naruto interrupts Kakashi. "I'll fight Sasuke."

We stare at Naruto for a moment, seeing how serious he is.

"All right, Naruto," Kakashi says, walking up next to him. "I'll leave Sasuke to you."

I watch Kakashi in wonder as he activates his Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Kakashi," I say, knowing that he wants to take on Madara with his Sharingan.

"Forget it, Kakashi," Madara says, holding up his hand toward him. "A jutsu like that won't work on me."

Kakashi is surprised to hear this.

"Let's go, Sasuke," Madara says.

Sasuke, still gazing at Naruto, begins to be pulled by Madara's Space Time Migration jutsu.

After a moment, Sasuke, Madara, and Zetsu disappear in the swirl.

"I'll be ready anytime, Sasuke," Naruto mutters with a smile.

Suddenly, Naruto begins to sway back and forth, his skin turning into a purple color. We look at him in a surprised way as he begins to fall. We're surprised when his shadow clones disappear in puffs of smoke. I deactivate my Sharingan and quickly run over to Naruto and catch him before he hits the water. Kakashi also heads over and kneels down to check on him.

"Naruto!" I say in worry as I lift him up in my arms.

"A scratch on his cheek," Kakashi says looking at Naruto's face. "This must be the cause."

Sakura then tenses up in worry.

"Then it's..." Sakura says. "It's from the poison-dipped kunai I used earlier."

"Seems like it," Kakashi says with a sigh. "You need to administer the antidote right away, Sakura!"

Sakura walks over to me and gently takes Naruto from my arms. She takes the antidote out of her pocket and begins to administer it.

"Denizu," Kakashi says. "Come with me; we need to handle the girl that was in Sasuke's group. She could have a lot of intel about what's been going on."

I stand up and nod. We both head up to the bridge to the girl with bright red hair and glasses. She stares sternly at the ground as we approach.

"We're taking you to the Hidden Leaf Village," Kakashi says to her. "So please, behave yourself."

"I wouldn't try anything at this point," she says in a low voice, still gazing at the ground.

"Help me put her on my back," Kakashi tells me.

I help the girl climb onto Kakashi's back. Sakura and Naruto then appear next to us on the bridge. I watch as Naruto places a hand on his stomach, groaning a bit.

"It's a good thing he's all right for now," I say to Kakashi, gazing at Naruto with a smile.

"That's true," Kakashi says. "But if I remember correctly, I told you two to stay with Yamato."

I turn to him with a sweat drop and smile.

"Well, you said to stay because of the condition I was in," I say to him while rubbing the back of my neck. "But you never said anything about staying when I got better."

Kakashi looks at me for a moment before smiling.

"By the way, Kakashi sensei," Naruto says. "Who's that on your back?"

The red headed girl looks at him in surprise and then looks away with a pouty face.

"She's one of Sasuke's comrades," Sakura says.

"Not anymore," the girl retorts.

"I have a lot of questions I want to ask her," Kakashi says. "So we're taking her back to the village."

"I see..." Naruto says with a painful look on his face. "So we're going back to the Hidden Leaf Village," he says before turning and beginning to walk away.

"Naruto, not that way," Kakashi says.

"What are you saying, Kakashi sensei?" Naruto asks. "The Hidden Leaf Village is this way."

"We forgot something in the Land of Iron," Kakashi answers. "Right, Sakura?"

"Forgot something..." Sakura says. "Oh!"

"We should go back and retrieve it, right?" Kakashi says again.

"Yes..." Sakura says looking down in a bit of shame.

"What is it?" I ask, looking at them in confusion.

Suddenly, wood emerges from under Naruto and they extend upward, forming a huge wooden cage. We look up in a bit of surprise.

"I feel awful..." Naruto says with a painful look, drool coming out of his mouth.

"What are you doing here?" we hear someone say from far behind us.

We turn and see Yamato holding his hand sign up that's confining Naruto in the wooden cage. He is looking sternly at Naruto.

"You were supposed to go back to the village with me," Yamato continues. "You even made a hole in the floor of the inn! I had to pursue you, and I was barely able to apologize to the innkeepers!"

He then glances over at me. I shutter and smile nervously at him while rubbing the back of my neck.

"I'm very sorry as well, Yamato," I say with a sweat drop.

Naruto and I continue to smile nervously at Yamato.

"Naruto and Denizu came in the nick of time," Kakashi says to Yamato. "But it seems you didn't send them over."

"Of course not!" Yamato says. "After all, you told me to take Naruto and Denizu back to the village."

"In essence, they left you behind," Kakashi says, closing his eye and looking down.

"No, well…" Yamato struggles.

"It turned out fine, Yamato," Kakashi says. "If Naruto and Denizu hadn't come, Sakura and I might have been dead now."

"Sasuke's chakra was different from the past," the red headed girl says.

We look at her in surprise.

"It was dark and cold," she continues.

"Still…" Naruto says from inside the cage above us. "Sasuke is Sasuke."

We look up at him and see his smile.

"You're right," Sakura says with a nod.

"I agree, Naruto," I say to him with a warm smile.

"Yeah," Kakashi says with a nod. "Anyway, that's what happened, Yamato. So please forgive Naruto and Denizu."

"I understand," Yamato says before performing a few hand signs. "Release!"

The wooden cage begins to lower into the bridge, bringing Naruto slowly down. Naruto is now on the bridge and groans in a bit of pain.

"Ok. Please go on ahead," Yamato says.

"What about you?" Kakashi asks.

"I'm going back to the inn to repair the hole Naruto made."

Naruto smiles at Yamato cheesily again in apology.

"Sorry, Captain Yamato," he says.

"Honestly…" Yamato says before performing a few hand signs and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Let's get going too," Kakashi says turning to us.

We begin to walk toward the end of the bridge into the forest. I walk on Kakashi's right while Naruto and Sakura walk close behind us.

'What else are you planning on doing, Sasuke?' I think to myself.

"Oh, Denizu sensei!" Sakura says, walking up to my right.

"Hm?" I say.

"I didn't get the chance to ask you why you were blindfolded," she asks in concern. "Did something happen to you?"

"Well, it's kind of long and complicated to explain…" I say putting my right index finger on my lower lip and looking up in thought,

"Denizu sensei has a mutated Sharingan," Naruto says, walking up next to Kakashi on his left.

"Mutated Sharingan?" Sakura says in surprise.

Even the red headed girl is surprised to hear that.

"Yes, I have a mutated Sharingan," I begin to explain. "Madara used his Tsukuyomi on me and explained that I was born with it. He then went on to activate the mutated Sharingan; it was painful enough to knock me unconscious for a while."

"How did you overcome the risk effects it has on others?" Kakashi asks.

"Risks?" Sakura says in worry.

"I used my shadow clone to look into my eyes," I explain. "My Sharingan reacted and then it just came to cancel the effect out. Its effect is when people look into my eyes and go into a painful shock before blacking out," I say turning and looking into Sakura's eyes with a serious look.

Sakura gasps and quickly looks away. I chuckle playfully and put my hand on her shoulder.

"It's all right, Sakura," I say with a warm smile. "My mutated Sharingan doesn't do that anymore, and it can't certainly do it when it's not activated."

Sakura looks into my black eyes and smiles in reassurance.

"I'd never use something like that on any of my comrades, especially not my students," I say with a smile.

"I have a question though," Sakura says. "How is it that this Madara knows this about you?"

I am surprised at her question and turn to gaze down at the trail with a serious look. Kakashi notices my disturbance and feels worried.

"That's not a question to be asked or answered right now, Sakura," Kakashi says. "Perhaps some other time."

Sakura looks at me and sees my disturbed expression.

"I'm sorry if I bothered you with my question, Denizu sensei!" Sakura says in worry.

I star at the ground for another moment and then turn to her with a friendly smile.

"It's all right; don't worry about it," I say. "But like Kakashi said, that's another question for another time."

Sakura nods with a smile. We then turn our attention to the side of the trail and see some familiar ninja lying on the ground. We walk closer to them and see that it's Kiba and Akamaru, Sai, and Lee.

"Are they…sleeping?" I ask in a bit of confusion.

"Is this what you forgot?" Naruto asks. "How could these guys just lay around sleeping while you were in such a bind, Sakura?"

Sakura nervously laughs a bit.

"Sakura," Kakashi says. "They were going to help you. Apologize properly after you wake them up."

"I will," Sakura says as she looks down in a bit of shame.

"You're going to wake them up?" Naruto asks before walk over to the sleeping boys.

Naruto heads over next to Lee.

"Damn it…" Naruto mutters.

"Naruto…" Sakura says. "It's my fault that they're asleep. So be gentle when you wake them."

"I feel sick…" Naruto says as he lies down on the ground next to Lee.

"You're going to sleep too?" Sakura says in anger.

"Oh my…" I say, watching with a sweat drop.

"Naruto's like that because of you…" the red headed girl says. "Umm… Sakura, right? It's because of your poison."

Sakura looks down in defeat. Kakashi and I chuckle.

"He's so carefree…" I say with a smile, watching Naruto sleep. "He's already fast asleep."

"However, we don't have time to waste," Kakashi says. "Sakura, wake them up."

Sakura obeys and heads over to the boys, taking out a potion from her pocket. She administers the antidote to Lee first. He wakes and sits up, putting his thoughts together. Sakura then moves to Kiba and administers the antidote.

"H-Huh? Sakura?" Kiba says after opening his eyes.

"Next up, Sai," Sakura says, smiling nervously.

"I'm up," Sai says after opening his eyes. "The drug has worn off."

"I'm sorry…" Sakura says with an apologetic smile.

"Huh? How come Naruto's here?" Kiba asks in confusion. "And he's fast asleep too!"

"I'll explain on the way home," Kakashi says.

Kiba then gets up walks over to Naruto.

"Hey, get up!" he says as he kicks Naruto gently on his shoulder.

"Oh, Kiba…Gently!" Sakura says nervously. "Gently please!"

"But why?" Sai suddenly asks.

We turn to him in surprise.

"Do you still feel nauseous?" Sakura asks him.

"No. But can you take a look?" Sai says.

He then opens his mouth and sticks his tongue out.

"Is the Curse Mark gone?" Sai asks. "Lord Danzo had placed a Curse Mark on my tongue."

I look at him in surprise.

'So he did have a Curse Mark…' I think to myself.

"Danzo is the new Hokage, right?" Kiba asks. "Although he hasn't officially taken office yet. What about him?"

"The fact that the Curse Mark is gone means…"

"He's dead…" I finish Sai's sentence.

Sai is surprised and looks at Kakashi for reassurance.

"It seems like it," Kakashi says.

"I can't believe it…" Sai says. "Lord Danzo?"

"This girl knows more about it," Kakashi says, turning to the red headed girl on his back.

"This Danzo you're talking about…" she says, looking away. "Sasuke got him."

"Sauske?" Sai says in disbelief.

"Do you mean that Sasuke killed him?" Lee asks.

"Why? He was the Hokage!" Kiba asks.

"That's all I have to say…" the red headed girl says.

"Tell us in detail!" Kiba demands. "What's going on? I don't get it at all!"

We are then surprised to hear Naruto moan quietly.

"Make it an extra large…" Naruto says in his sleep, rubbing his stomach and drooling a bit.

"You get up too and explain!" Kiba says in anger.

"Now, now, Kiba!" Lee says, holding Kiba back from pouncing Naruto.

"Wake up, Naruto!" Kiba says in frustration.

"Please, let's all calm down," I say, putting a hand on Kiba's shoulder. "Right now, we have to worry about getting to the village as fast as possible. As Kakashi said earlier, we'll explain on the way home."

Kiba looks at me in surprise for a bit and then just stares.

"You're the new Uchiha jonin everyone's been talking about, right?" Lee asks me.

I stare at Lee for a bit and then smile nervously.

"Yeah, I am…" I say, scratching the top of my head.

"New Uchiha jonin?" Kiba says looking at me in disbelief. "Damn it! Why doesn't anyone explain to me what's going on?"

I laugh a bit and pat Kiba on the back.

"Come on, Kiba – we'll fill you in on the way," I say to him with a friendly smile.


	16. Chapter 16

Part Sixteen

We are now walking along through the forest. I am walking on Kakashi's right with Akamaru on Kakashi's left as the rest are close in front of us. Kakashi, Naruto and I have finished explaining what happened: from me being an Uchiha and my alleged death to the Five Kage Summit attack and Sasuke. Lee, Kiba, and even Sai are surprised to learn these things about me, considering the fact that I just appeared out of nowhere. But they still accept me, nonetheless. However, Kiba is still upset with Sakura and her actions of leaving them unconscious and going after Sasuke by herself.

"Damn it, this is ridiculous!" Kiba says in frustration. "We listened to her wishes and even located Sasuke for her."

Sakura gazes down at the ground in shame.

"Now don't be so upset, Kiba," Kakashi says.

"Don't act like you're the only hero here, Sakura," Kiba says again. "You told us to keep this a secret from Naruto, but Sai went and blabbed it all to him, on top of which, Sasuke got away."

"Kiba!" Naruto says, annoyed. "Be a man and quit complaining."

"Speak for yourself, Naruto!" Kiba says, pointing at Naruto.

"Huh? Me?"

"Oh, you're right about that!" Sai says to Naruto with a smile. "You are too simple and dumb to be able to think as complexly as you've been attempting."

Sai chuckles and Naruto turns to him with a comically annoyed look.

"Hey, Sai!" Naruto yells. "Since when did you develop such a carefree laugh? Huh?"

"Thank you," Sai says with a smile.

"That wasn't a compliment!" Naruto yells in annoyance again.

Lee then laughs out of the blue.

"What is it, Bushy Brow?" Naruto says, turning to him in wonder.

"It's like you're back to your old self, Naruto," Lee says with a smile.

"He means you haven't grown up at all," Kiba says. "Once an idiot, always an idiot."

"Kiba, you're an idiot! Idiot!" Naruto yells at Kiba.

"I don't wanna hear that coming from an idiot!" Kiba says back.

Sai chuckles at their quarreling. I watch them interact with one another with a warm smile.

'Reminds me of our group when we were younger,' I think to myself, remembering the times I had with Kakashi, Obito, Rin, Guy, Kurenai, and Asuma.

Suddenly, three men wearing ANBU masks and white cloaks from the Leaf appear some feet in front of us and we stop in our tracks, surprised to see them.

"Sai, you need to explain everything that's happened," the one in the middle says.

"Who are these guys?" Naruto asks in wonder as Sai steps forward to them.

"Members of the Foundation, from the ANBU Black Ops," Kakashi answers.

"It seems you are aware too," Sai says to them. "The reason why the Curse Mark placed on us by Lord Danzo is gone."

"Is Lord Danzo…dead?" the one in the middle asks.

"Yes…" Sai answers. "That's…"

"What about his bodyguards, Foo and Torune?"

"I'm in the dark about them too," Sai answers the Anbu ninja.

"They were not at the site," Kakashi answers.

"Therefore, I would like to propose a discussion about the future of the Foundation with you," Sai says to ANBU ninja. "And with the new Hokage here," he says holding his hand toward Kakashi.

"New Hokage?" Lee says in surprise.

"Kakashi Hatake," Sai finishes.

"Huh?" We hear Lee, Sakura, and Kiba say in surprise.

Kakashi stares at the ANBU ninja sternly as they remain quiet after hearing this.

'This doesn't please them…' I say referring to the ANBU ninja.

"We'll head back ahead of you," the ANBU ninja says.

They jump onto a branch and head off.

"You're going to be the next Hokage, Kakashi sensei?" Sakura asks.

"Hmm…" he says turning to me with a smile. "Looks like it's going to be that way."

I smile warmly back at him.

"You both seem to have an intense attraction for one another, don't you?" the red headed girl says.

Everyone is surprised at this.

"That's not much of a surprise," Naruto says with a smirk. "Denizu and Kakashi sensei are a couple!"

"Couple?" Lee, Kiba, and Sai ask in surprise.

"Really?" Kiba asks. "It makes sense now as to why you guys have been by each other's side this whole time."

I shutter a bit, looking at them in surprise. I then smile nervously while rubbing the back of my neck with a slight chuckle.

"All right, you guys," Kakashi says with a sweat drop and smile. "Let's head on back to the village."

"Yes! We have to get there as fast as possible with the new Hokage!" I say with a sweat drop and nervous smile, beginning to walk with Kakashi.

"Do you mind if we stop and rest for a bit?" Lee asks. "With the effect of the sleeping drug Sakura administered, we're getting pretty tired easily…"

Kakashi turns to them and thinks for a moment.

"I think it's best for them," I say to Kakashi in a low voice as I stand next to him.

"All right," Kakashi says. "We'll rest for a bit."

We then head over to an open area in the forest. Sakura and Naruto sit next to one another on the ground while the rest stand, with the exception of Akamaru lying on the ground. I help Kakashi set the red headed girl on the ground in front of a tree next to Sai.

"Keep an eye on her Sai," Kakashi says as we stand up straight. "Denizu and I will be back."

"Yes, Kakashi sensei," Sai says with a nod.

Kakashi then turns and motions for me to follow him. We head some feet away into the forest, separating from the group.

"I'm going to send my hounds to every hidden village with intel," Kakashi says as we reach a small open area in between some trees.

We stop. Kakashi then performs a few hand signs, summoning five different dogs wearing blue garments. He then takes out five small scrolls.

"Are you going to mention anything about what Madara told us?" I ask as I walk up next to him on his right.

"That will continue to stay confidential between me, you, Naruto, and Yamato," Kakashi says, beginning to tie the scrolls to the hounds. "I don't even want to consider mentioning this; who knows how they'll react if they find out about all that Madara explained."

"That's true. …" I say, looking down at the ground.

I am still a bit in turmoil about all that Madara said. Kakashi is very well aware of it.

"Don't worry," Kakashi says as he ties another scroll to one of the dogs and looks over at me. "We'll talk about it once we get to the village. Alright?"

I nod with a small smile at him, and he returns it.

"That's my Denizu," he says with a cute tone in his voice.

I smile cheekily at him, remembering that he used to call me that every once in a while when we were younger. He then kneels down to the smallest dog and ties the scroll on a thread around its neck.

"I'm counting on you," Kakashi says to them with a smile.

He stands up and watches the hounds head off.

"They're so cute and obedient," I say with awe in my voice.

"They are, but they're cuteness doesn't match up to yours," Kakashi says, turning and walking up close to me.

I look up to his face with a slight blush at hearing his words.

"It's cute when you blush," he says with a smile through his mask.

I give a surprised look but then smile warmly at him.

"Kakashi sensei," we hear Naruto say from behind.

We turn our heads to him in surprise.

"What was that?" Naruto asks, referring to the hounds.

"Messages to every hidden village," Kakashi answers. "We're working toward a united front. We have to share critical intel as early as possible."

Naruto looks at me and Kakashi intently.

"Let's go home," Kakashi says with a calm voice.

We are now walking toward the gates of the Hidden Leaf Village. Choji, Shikamaru, and Ino are waiting for us at the entrance. I am walking on Kakashi's left as he carries the red headed girl on his back.

"I'm back," Sakura says as we stop in front of them.

"I heard from my dad…about Sasuke," Shikamaru says to Naruto.

"Yeah…" Naruto says with a nod. "And I fought with him."

Choji, Shikamaru, and Ino look at him in surprise.

"'Fought'? You mean with Sasuke?" Shikamaru asks in disbelief.

"I'll give you the details later," Naruto responds in a serious manner. "Sorry, but would you mind getting everybody together? …There's something I want to say…"

Naruto gazes down at the ground with a bit of sorrow. Shikamaru notices his manner and is a bit concerned.

"Okay," Shikamaru says.

"Naruto!" we hear Konohamaru say.

He runs up from behind Shikamaru toward Naruto with another young boy with glasses and girl with orange hair in two large, tall ponytails.

"We were waiting for you, you know?" Konohamaru says as he holds up a paper of some sort to Naruto.

"Hey, you guys," Naruto says.

"I just need to get an interview from you and the Leaf Hero Newspaper will be done!" Konohamaru says.

"Naruto, time for your interview!" the other young boy says with excitement.

"Oh, that's right," Naruto says.

Naruto then pats their heads gently.

"But I have to make a report, so let's do it another time," Naruto says.

"What? But you keep saying next time!" the young girl says.

"But you promised!" the other young boy adds.

Naruto then walks past them.

"You always keep us waiting!" The young girl says. "You're so mean, Naruto! So when's 'next time'?"

I watch the younger children in wonder as they attempt to convince Naruto.

'They idolize him so much,' I think to myself with a small smile.

Naruto continues walking into the village, not looking back at them.

"Hey, why don't you say something too, Konohamaru?" the young girl asks.

"I wonder what happened," Konohamaru says, staring at Naruto in wonder.

"Huh?"

"There seems to be something different about Naruto," Konohamaru adds.

"Huh? What are you talking about, Konohamaru?" the girl asks. "There's nothing different. He looks like his usual self."

"That's true, but…" Konohamaru says, gazing after Naruto in wonder.

"So when is 'next time'?" the young girl calls out to Naruto.

"All right," Shikamaru says. "I'm going to gather up everyone. Follow me."

With that, everyone follows Shikamaru into the village. Kakashi and I stay behind, watching all of them go.

"Are we taking her to the Intel Division?" I ask Kakashi, referring to the red headed girl.

"Yes, I was about to say that just now," Kakashi responds.

After some time, we arrive at the Intel Division, which is now much smaller due to everything being destroyed in the village after the invasion. We meet up with Ibiki Morino and one of his squad members in the entrance. We've begun to explain who the red headed girl is and how we came to bring her here. Kakashi stands on my right while the red headed girl stands on my left.

"She originally worked for Orochimaru before she joined up with Sasuke as a shinobi for the Akatsuki," Kakashi says to Ibiki.

"That means she knows a lot," Ibiki says, turning to the red headed girl with a hard gaze.

This frightens the red headed girl and she hides a bit behind me, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"You better treat me well," she says to Ibiki with a mad face.

"And…" Kakashi says. "It looks like she was there when Sasuke and Danzo battled it out."

"You saw them fighting?" Ibiki asks her.

"You're interrogating me here?" she asks looking at Kakashi and me.

"Okay, we'll hold her at the Intel Division," Ibiki says. "We'll get everything she knows. Take her away," he says to his assistant.

"Yes, sir," the assistant answers.

He walks over to the girl and takes a hold of her hand.

"Hey…no! I won't try to escape!" she says as the assistant pulls her away and she begins to try to escape his grip. "So let go of me, will you?"

She escapes his grip and shoves him a bit.

"Jeez!" she mutters as the assistant opens the door for her and she walks inside. "I'm so thirsty. Give me something to drink!"

The assistant follows after her and closer the door.

"Well, she's a bit troublesome…" I say with a blank look.

"By the way, how's Lady Tsunade doing?" Kakashi asks Ibiki.

"She's still unconscious," Ibiki answers.

I look down in worry for Lady Tsunade.

"I see…" Kakashi says, his face with thought. "Well, I'll go make my report to the superiors. Excuse us."

With that, Kakashi and I walk away.

"Kakashi…" Ibiki calls out.

We stop in our tracks.

"The chain of command in the Hidden Leaf Village is in rambles," Ibiki says with a serious face. "Someone has to restore order as soon as possible."

"Yeah…I know that…" Kakashi says, not turning to him.

We then proceed to walk away. I look at Kakashi and see that he's staring at the ground in deep thought. His gaze doesn't leave the ground not once and doesn't blink.

"You're not really interested in being the Hokage, are you?" I ask him.

Kakashi snaps out of his thoughts and turns his head to me with a surprised look.

"I know you better…" I continue. "I know you're not the type to take interest in these positions."

Kakashi closes his eyes and sighs heavily.

"You know me well…" Kakashi says. "I just don't consider myself to be the type of person to be Hokage. It's not really my style," he says turning to me with a smile.

"Regardless of that," I say putting my hand on his forearm. "I know you'll take up the position and handle it very well."

I smile warmly up at him. He looks at me thoughtfully and then returns the smile.

"So where are we off to now?" I ask, turning my gaze up ahead.

"To the superiors," Kakashi answers, gazing forward as well. "I have to explain to them in person that Danzo is dead."

I gaze down at the ground in thought as we continue to walk.

"I know that some part of you feels that Danzo deserves what he got," Kakashi says interrupting my thoughts. "I also know that you feel a sense of confusion and mistrust in the Leaf's higher-ups after what Madara explained happened with Itachi and your clan…"

"Kakashi," I say interrupting him. "That news is so sudden. All of it came at me at once: the truth about Itachi and the Uchiha clan, my parents, my mutated Sharingan…All of that has been a major blow to me… I don't even want to believe it… But the facts are there."

"I just don't want you doing anything reckless," Kakashi says. "The last thing I want right now is worrying about how you're going to act. Now that I'm going to be Hokage, I will have many other tasks and issues to deal with; I don't want one of them to be you, especially if it involves you doing something reckless."

I continue to gaze down at the ground as we walk at a nice pace. Kakashi does the same, waiting for my response.

"You very well know what my morals are…" I say. "My parents died for the sake of this village. They didn't' die because they took part in a plan to rebel against the Leaf Village. It would make sense to follow in their steps and influence… I won't fall into the hands of evil…of vengeance…because this isn't the case for my parents. My clan means a lot to me, but after finding out what they planned to do…under Fugaku's leadership…I've come to understand why such an action was taken. Itachi died for the sake of this village; he wasn't the type of person who sought for war – he was a pacifist. Had you known the real him, you'd understand even more… He sacrificed himself for the sake of the village…for the love of this village…and most importantly…for the love of his brother."

Kakashi listens, clearly hearing the emotion in my voice. I look up from the ground and gaze ahead.

"It's a lot of pain to deal with, but…" I say. "I know I've made the right choice of staying alongside the village. It's what I believe in…It's what my parents also believed in."

Kakashi looks over at me in wonder.

'She's so honorable and strong…' he thinks to himself. 'She has more potential to be the Hokage than me.'

I sigh and move some of my hair off my face.

"It's getting a bit hot with this winter cloak on," I say, taking the cloak off, revealing only my navy blue long sleeve shirt and my black pants.

"Where's your jonin vest?" Kakashi asks.

I look up in surprise.

"Oh…I seem to have forgotten it at the inn…" I say with a sweat drop, putting a finger on my lips.

Kakashi chuckles.

"That's all right," he says with a smile. "I think you should lose it anyway. You look better without the vest."

"I actually felt uncomfortable wearing it," I say with a sweat drop and smile. "The large collar bothered me a lot, especially because it pushed my hair out a bit."

"You still have those odd annoyances, don't you?" Kakashi says with a smile.

"Hm?"

"I remember you used to find your headband annoying when you wore it on your forehead. You always moved it to you arm or something, like you have it now."

"Oh, yeah…" I say, rubbing the back of my neck. "Those peeves… They're still there!"

I chuckle as I smile at Kakashi and he does the same. We then turn our attention to a large house.

"This is where the superiors are right now?" I ask studying the large property.

"Looks like it," Kakashi answers. "Much better than the Intel Division property."

I chuckle at his statement.

"Are you sure I'm able to go in with you?" I ask.

"You're basically a witness and know a lot about what's happened," Kakashi says as we head toward the entrance. "I'm also considered being the next Hokage, so I can choose to have you with me or not."

"And you've chosen to have me with you right now?"

"I've chosen to have you with me now and whenever," he answers.

I look at him in surprise as he reaches for the door of the property.

'Kakashi…' I think to myself as I look at him in wonder.

"After you," he says with a smile, holding the door open.

I snap out of my thoughts and blink hard a few times.

"Thank you," I say as I walk into the dimly lit house.

Kakashi walks in after me and closes the door. We walk toward two men guarding the entrance of a room. Kakashi and I stop in front of them.

"I'm Kakashi Hatake," Kakashi says to them. "I need to speak to the two elders."

"And who is she?" one of the guards asks looking at me.

"She's assisting me," Kakashi answers. "Denizu Uchiha."

"Uchiha?" the other guard says in surprise.

"We don't have time to explain," Kakashi says. "We need to speak to the elders immediately."

They snap out of their surprise with a nod and open the doors. Kakashi and I head inside, walking toward an elder woman and man sitting on cloths on an elevated surface. The guards close the doors afterward and we stop a few feet in front of the two elders.

"Ah, Kakashi Hatake and Denizu Uchiha," the elderly woman says. "What do you have to report?"

"Danzo Shimura is dead," Kakashi answers.

"Danzo too?" the elder woman asks.

"Such a shame," the elder man says. "The best ones go first."

I feel my mouth twitch a bit in response.

"We must quickly hold a meeting to determine who will be the next Hokage," the elderly woman says, turning to the old man.

"The Allied Shinobi Force will be stalled if the Hokage is missing," the old man says.

"That cannot be helped," the old woman says turning to us. "We will recommend you for Hokage, Kakashi Hatake. The Sand, a member of the alliance, has also recommended you."

"I am prepared for it," Kakashi says.

"Oh… That was easy," the old man says with a stern look.

"Of course, it would be a little out of character for me to be the Hokage."

"That's fine," the old woman says. "I will go to the Feudal Lords to request a conference. Go back to the village and prepare until you are called."

"There really isn't anything for me to prepare," Kakashi says turning to walk away.

"Listen, Kakashi," the old man says. "Let me just say one thing to the next Hokage. It is true that Danzo was very ambitious, but everything he did was for the sake of the village."

"Hiruzen out front and Danzo in the back," the old woman adds. "Things went most smoothly in Hidden Leaf back then."

"Is that meant to be some sort of excuse?" Kakashi asks just turning his head slightly toward them.

"Just some advice," the old man answers. "I'm sure Denizu can explain more of that to you based on her father's influence."

I look intently at him.

"Don't try to take on everything by yourself," the old woman says to Kakashi. "It would be best to have a confidant beside you."

"I've already made that decision," Kakashi says as we both begin to walk to the door.

Kakashi opens the door and lets me walk out first and follows after me, closing the door afterward. We walk out of the house and toward the rebuilding village. We walk on a path through the village and I observe the many people repairing buildings all around. I notice that Kakashi is very pensive as he walks at a leisurely pace, gazing at the ground.

"What's wrong?" I ask him. "Are you worried about finding that confidant to assist you as you're the Hokage?"

"I'm not worried about that because I've already decided who that is going to be," Kakashi says lifting his head up and looking ahead. "You, Denizu."

My eyebrows rise in surprise at hearing his words as I look at him.

"There's no better person for the job than you," Kakashi says turning to me with a smile.

I look up at him in a bit of wonder and then smile in appreciation.

We walk along on a higher trail and gaze over the short fencing to the many working people. Kakashi turns his attention to the Hokage monument carvings, staring intently at the carving of the Fourth Hokage. I notice that he is staring thoughtfully at it, clearly reflecting on something.

"Surprised you've made it like Minato sensei?" I ask keeping my gaze at the carving of the Fourth Hokage.

"I've made it to Hokage," Kakashi says still gazing at the carving. "But I'll never compare to the Fourth fully."

"I'm sure Minato sensei would have also agreed you're a great fit for Hokage," I say.

There's a moment of silence between us as we continue to gaze at the Hokage monument.

"Yo! Kakashi! Denizu!" we hear Guy say from behind as he wraps an arm around Kakashi's neck and the other arm around mine. "Looks like you and Denizu got home safely!"

He then quickly turns Kakashi around and pats him on his sides.

"How are you?" Guy asks as he examines Kakashi's leg and foot. "You weren't injured, were you?"

Guy turns Kakashi around again, examines his back, and then turns him again to groom Kakashi's spiky hair.

"Oh, I'm fine," Kakashi says in a plain tone as he hunches over a bit.

"Okay, in that case…" Guy says holding up his thumb at Kakashi with a smile. "It's been a while, so why don't we have a match?"

"Why?" Kakashi asks Guy in a puzzled tone, tilting his head a bit.

"Why?" Guy says as he puts his hand on his chin. "Why? What do you mean? Because you and I are eternal rivals, that's why!" he says as he takes a hold of Kakashi's hands and begins to lift them up and down quickly. "We've had over 100 matches up until now. Let's add another one!"

"In that case…" Kakashi says holding out his fist toward Guy.

"No using Sharingan, now!" Guy says as he holds out his fist too.

"Rock, paper, scissors!" they both say as they shake their butts while playing the hand game.

"Yeah…you guys haven't changed a bit…" I say with a sweat drop, hunching forward a bit.

"No!" Guy yells as he stops playing and stands back. "Not that! I don't want Rock Paper Scissors!"

"Of course you don't…" I mutter.

Kakashi keeps his closed fist held out, staring at Guy in wonder.

"Our challenge will be…" Guy says as he holds his arm out and points toward the Hokage monument carvings. "That!"

Kakashi and I both turn to where he's pointing.

"I've set up a goal up there," Guy says. "We'll race to there."

"This is not the time for…" Kakashi begins to say.

"That's exactly why I want to have a hot challenge," Guy interrupts him. "You'll accept it, won't you, my eternal rival?"

Kakashi stands there, thinking about accepting his offer or not. Guy then remembers something and smirks evilly.

"Say, Kakashi…" Guy says rubbing his chin. "I've noticed you haven't been reading your favorite novels lately…"

"Novels?" I ask in surprise.

"I suppose you haven't told Denizu about them…." Guy says keeping his smirk.

Kakashi looks at him in a bit of confusion.

"Denizu…" Guy says, turning to me. "Did you know that Kakashi reads novels?"

"What kind of novels?" I ask in a confused tone.

"Novels with…provocative details…" Guy answers smirking at Kakashi.

Kakashi then shutters in panic, his body becoming straight and stiff.

"Provocative details?" I asked in confusion.

"Yes…" Guy answers with his smirk.

"Guy, no!" Kakashi says as he attempts to lunge at Guy.

"Kakashi, not now!" Guy says with a smile as he avoids Kakashi's grasp and wraps his arm around his neck, subduing him.

I blink a few times with a blank stare at them.

"Kakashi indulges in reading…" Guy says holding down Kakashi and avoiding his flailing arms. "…sexual adult novels."

Kakashi stops flailing his arms and freezes. He then escapes Guy's grip and stands to his side, hunching forward with his head down and a gloomy appearance. I stare at Guy in surprise.

"Sexual adult novels?" I say in confusion.

"Yes! You can see how much of a perverted fellow Kakashi has become over the years," Guy says with a cheeky smile.

Kakashi hunches even lower in more shame and embarrassment.

"Don't be so ashamed, Kakashi!" I say putting a hand on his back. "I'm not so judgmental!"

"But this isn't how my confidant should find out about this old habit of mine…" Kakashi says still hunching forward. "I am, after all, the Hokage."

"Old habit, ay?" Guy says with a smirk. "I suppose you plan on doing what you read in those novels to De—"

"All right, that's enough," Kakashi says as he puts his hand on Guy's mouth. "I'll accept your challenge if you just stop."

Guy removes Kakashi's hand from his face and smirks. I stare at them with a sweat drop and blank look.

"So you're ready for the challenge?" Guy asks. "Now is the best time!"

"You're right. No time like the present, I guess." Kakashi says, gazing at the Hokage monument.

"All right! Let's do it!" Guy says in excitement.

They turn to one another, fist bump, and slap their hands together.

"Haven't seen that in a long time," I say to them with a small smile.

They smile back at me.

"Well, I'll see you guys at the finish line!" I say holding my hand up in goodbye.

I then disappear in a puff of smoke. I reappear behind a tree in the edge of the forest area on top of the Hokage monument. Looking around, I walk out from the edge of the forest and toward the open rocky area.

'It makes sense that Kakashi would read those kinds of novels…' I think to myself as I gaze at the rocky ground. 'He must have closed his heart after I disappeared…'

I continue to walk and look up. To my surprise, I spot Lee near the finish line banner doing some jumping jacks. I look at him in surprise, seeing he's been working out intensely.

"Lee?" I say walking up to him. "What are you up to?"

"Oh, hello, Denizu sensei!" Lee says as he continues doing his jumping jacks. "I'm doing my daily workout routine; I learned it from Guy sensei."

'Not much of a surprise…' I think to myself remembering how Guy used to train intensely like this when we were young.

"Are you here to witness who finishes first?" Lee asks stopping his exercising.

"Yeah, I guess you can say that," I reply. "I'm also waiting on Kakashi because he's made me his confidant."

"Really? That's great, Denizu sensei!" Lee says in excitement. "You two are really close, aren't you?"

I chuckle with a nervous smile and sweat drop.

"W-Well…" I say, rubbing the side of my arm. "It's something that Kakashi and I prefer not to announce to everyone and keep it between us."

"I understand, Denizu sensei! Your secret is safe with me!" Lee says with a smile, holding his thumb up at me.

I look at him in a bit of surprise but then smile in appreciation.

"Thank you, Lee," I say, putting my hand on his head. "Guy has influenced you well."

Lee looks at me with a cheeky smile. I then pull my hand off his head and lean on the pole of the finish line banner.

"Denizu sensei," Lee says.

"Hm?"

"Do you mind telling me a bit about Guy sensei?" Lee asks with a shy look. "He told me you two are good childhood friends. Can you please tell me more about him when he was young?"

"Of course I don't mind," I say with a smile.

Lee laughs a bit in excitement and stands in front of me ready to listen.

"Well, to be honest, you remind me a lot of him," I say crossing my arms.

Lee is a bit surprised at this.

"It's not just the looks that remind me of him," I say with a smile. "It's your personality; both of you have an inspiring, confident persona that is filled with a fiery spirit of brightness. Ever since I met Guy, he's always been like that. He'd always set his goals and either achieved them or surpassed them. As a ninja, he trained and trained and sought to get better; when he achieved a goal, he'd set another. Not only did he push himself, but he pushed others as well. Intentionally and unintentionally, he'd inspired many people to push themselves to succeed."

"That's how he was?" Lee asks.

"That's how he _is_," I say. "I'm glad you're following in his steps, Lee."

He looks at me in surprise as I smile warmly at him. A smile soon spreads across his face.

"I will strive to be successful like Guy sensei!" Lee says holding a fist up in confidence.

"That's the spirit!" I say cheering him on.

He gives me a cheeky smile with a slight blush on his cheeks. He then settles himself on the ground and begins to do some push-ups. I continue to lean on the pole of the finish banner with my arms crossed. I gaze at the plain, rocky, beige ground in deep thought.

'It's amazing how much these younger ninja take pride in their training,' I think to myself. 'It makes me regret not being able to have been a sensei of some of them. It would have been an amazing experience for me if I had. I probably wouldn't be much of a mystery and surprise to them and the people of the village if I had come back.'

I scoff a bit at myself with a smile.

'What kind of a sensei would I be like?' I continue to think. 'It's an interesting question to ask… I only taught Itachi and Sasuke, but not at the level I am now. Maybe with Naruto and Sakura I'll be able to find out. Now that Kakashi will be taking the position of Hokage, I'll probably be set as their main sensei, considering how busy Kakashi might be…'

I look at Lee as he is still doing his push-ups with one hand.

'I believe I'd make a pretty good sensei,' I think to myself with a smile.

"While Guy sensei is battling it out," Lee says as he does his push-ups. "I will fight too!"

"You're doing great, Lee!" I say in a voice of encouragement.

We are then surprised to feel the ground rumbling a bit. Lee stops his push-ups and we both look up ahead. Guy and Kakashi are heading toward the finish line fast, leaving a trail of dirt behind as they run. Lee quickly gets up and moves toward the pole I am leaning on. I move away from it so that he can observe who will cross the finish line first. I stand a few feet behind him, watching Kakashi and Guy. They approach the finish line with intense looks on their faces. After a few seconds, they both lunge forward into the ribbon and pass the finish line. They both slow down to a stop some feet away, standing next to one another.

"Lee, who won?" Guy asks anxiously.

Lee holds up his fists while trembling and smiles intensely. Guy sees this and is excited.

"Kakashi sensei is…" Lee says with a struggle. "…the winner!"

Guy yelps and falls on his back, his feet up in the air with one foot twitching a bit. Kakashi sees this and chuckles. I stare at both of them with a warm look.

"That was a pretty good challenge," Kakashi says with a smile.

Guy then brings out a bouquet of light yellow flowers and holds it out to Kakashi, his head turned away. Kakashi is surprised at this.

"Flowers?" I say quietly to myself in surprise as I walk up to them.

"Congratulations," Guy says to Kakashi with a serious face.

"Oh no…this is nothing to be congratulated for," Kakashi says.

"Congratulations on becoming the next Hokage!" Guy says turning to him.

Kakashi's eyes widen a bit in surprise.

'Ah, I see now…' I think to myself as I watch them.

"When you become the Hokage," Guy says still holding out the flowers to Kakashi. "You probably won't be able to accept my challenges so easily. That's why I wanted to challenge you for the last time before it happened. Thank you, Kakashi."

Kakashi accepts the bouquet and holds it.

"This isn't the last time," Kakashi says. "We'll still be eternal rivals; that won't change."

"Huh?" Guy says in surprise.

"Guy, seriously; I find it reassuring having you there." Kakashi says as he looks Guy in the eyes. "I hope I can count on your continued support."

I smile at them warmly. Guy and Lee tear up at his words.

"Ka-Kakashi…" Guy says choking up in tears with Lee.

"I can't bring this whole village together by myself," Kakashi says.

Kakashi then turns his head to me with a soft gaze. I respond with a warm expression.

"You're making me cry," Guy says in tears as he hides his face with his arm.

Kakashi then turns to Guy in surprise.

"Hey, are you listening? Hey! Hey!" he says to Guy, trying to get his attention.

"I'm listening," Guy says as he continues to cry out loud with Lee.

A man and a young boy then appear running toward us. The young boy is wearing a yellow construction hat and is carrying a brown messenger bag. Kakashi and I turn to them in surprise as they approach us. I walk up next to Kakashi, looking at the man and boy in wonder.

"You're Kakashi Hatake, aren't you?" the man asks. "The next Hokage?"

"Yes, well…" Kakashi struggles to say.

"Oh, this is perfect!" the man says in happiness. "Let me measure your face! I want to get a mold too!" he says shaking Kakashi's hand.

"W-What is this?" Kakashi asks in a confused tone.

"It's for the Great Stone Faces," the man answers. "The Stone Faces of the Hokage! I need you to come with me!"

With that, the man begins to pull Kakashi by the arm and leads him away. I stare at them with a puzzled, blank stare, as do Guy and Lee.

"J-Just a minute," Kakashi says, still confused.

"It seems it's not easy being the Hokage," Lee says as we watch the man pull Kakashi away.

"I guess it's not…" I say. "I'm going to catch up to them. See you guys some other time!"

I run after Kakashi and the man and the young boy, waving goodbye at Lee and Guy. I catch up to them after few seconds and slow down next to them. We reach a small storage shed and head inside. The man leads us inside while the young boy closes the door after us.

"I'll hold the bouquet for you if you want," I say to Kakashi.

"Yes, please," Kakashi says handing me the bouquet as the man sits him down on a chair.

I stand back a bit, letting the man do his work. He takes out a measuring device and begins to measure Kakashi's face.

"This hairstyle is okay, right?" the man asks.

"Umm…" Kakashi manages to say.

"The headband should be at an angle," the man interrupts him, moving the ruler to another part of Kakashi's face as the boy writes down the measurements.

"You don't have to be exact," Kakashi says.

"You must be joking. Once it's carved, it can't be changed easily.

"I see…"

"That's it! We haven't missed anything, have we?" the man asks the boy as he stops measuring Kakashi's face.

"No, sir!" the boy answers with a smile.

"Then let's get ready to make the mold," the man says.

"Got it!" the boy says as he reaches for a bowl filled with white liquid inside and gives it to the man.

I watch in astonishment.

"Is that plaster?" Kakashi asks looking at the bowl in surprise.

"That's right," the man answers as he dips a paint brush inside the bowl. "We'll paint this on you in thin layers to make a mold of your face!"

Kakashi gives him a dreadful look.

"I want to start right away, but you'll have to take that off," the man says. "That mask."

"What?" Kakashi says with a twitch of shock.

I look at him with a sweat drop.

"Your Stone Face won't look good if you're hiding your face," the man continues.

The man approaches Kakashi with the paintbrush. Kakashi looks at him in a look of uncertainty as the man reaches for his face.

"Um, excuse me," I say stepping in and putting my hand on the man's, stopping it from touching Kakashi's mask. "He'll feel more comfortable if I do it; he's not too fond of showing his face to people," I say to the man with a smile.

Kakashi looks at me in surprise and then sighs in relief.

"Hm?" the man says in confusion. "Very well; I'll let you do it."

He puts the paintbrush back inside the bowl of plaster and hands it to me.

"Meanwhile, we'll go and get some supplies for the mold of his face," the man says. "We'll be back!"

With that, the man and boy head for the door of the shed. I watch as they open it, walk out, and close the door. Kakashi drops his head forward a bit with another sigh of relief.

"Thank you…" Kakashi says. "I'm glad you came along."

"Let's do it quickly before they come back," I say as I walk up closely in front of him, putting my right hand on his cheek.

He looks at me in surprise as I stand very close to him, practically in between his legs.

"Here? Now?" Kakashi asks in astonishment. "But…it's not the ideal and appropriate place, don't you think?"

I stare at him in a bit of confusion. Understanding what he means, I grimace nervously with a sweat drop.

"No, Kakashi, not that!" I say with a slight blush on my cheeks. "I'm talking about the molding!"

"Oh, is that what you meant?" Kakashi says in a tone of fake confusion. "Are you sure you don't mean the other thing?" he says taking a hold of my hips and bringing me closer to him in between his legs.

"Kakashi!" I say pulling back a bit and flicking him on his head. "You seem to have gained a lot from those sexual adult novels, haven't you?"

He chuckles as he pulls his mask down.

"A little kiss wouldn't hurt," he says in a low, playfully voice.

"You're right… A kiss wouldn't hurt…" I say in a bit of a low, seductive voice.

I lean down to his face slowly. He closes his eyes and leans upward toward my face, almost about to reach my lips. But right before he does, I take the paintbrush and slap it lightly on his face, putting plaster on his cheek. He is surprised and confused.

"A kiss wouldn't hurt," I say with a slight smirk as I brush the plaster on his face. "But a paintbrush does."

He gazes up at me, still puzzled, but then a small grin appears on his face.

"Now's not the time for that," I say spreading plaster on his forehead.

Kakashi looks up at me with love in his eyes and a warm expression. I smile down at him in the same manner as I dip the paintbrush into the bowl and continue to spread the plaster on the rest of his face.


	17. Chapter 17

Part Seventeen

After the molding of Kakashi's face, word was sent that Kakashi was needed at a conference meeting. It was to discuss the matter of Kakashi being the next Hokage.

We are now walking on the bridge toward the building of the higher-ups. It is Kakashi, Shikaku, the two high elders, an ANBU ninja, and me. Kakashi has briefly introduced me to Shikaku Nara, Shikamaru's father. Like everyone else, he was also surprised to know who I am and what happened to me. I walk on Kakashi's right while Shikaku walks on Kakashi's left. The three of us walk behind the two elders and the ANBU ninja.

"Thanks for accepting," Shikaku says to Kakashi.

"It would be a lot better if you become the Hokage, Shikaku," Kakashi says.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm old enough to retire and have my son take over. Of course, I'm in no position to do that," Shikaku says looking up a bit.

"Yes," Kakashi agrees, understanding him.

I look at Kakashi from the corner of my eye and then gaze ahead.

'I'm sure you'll do fine as a Hokage, Kakashi,' I think in my head.

We head inside the building and are escorted to a large room. The elders and the ANBU ninja walk toward the entrance of a room and begin to enter.

"You two wait here," Shikaku says turning to us. "You'll be called in very soon."

Kakashi and I both nod. Shikaku then follows inside the room and the door closes after them. Kakashi stares down at the floor in deep contemplation, obviously unsure about the situation.

"Relax, Kakashi," I say putting my hand on his shoulder. "Don't be nervous."

Kakashi sighs slowly.

"You'll be coming in with me," Kakashi says.

"No, I'm waiting out here," I say.

Kakashi looks at me in surprise, about to object, but I quickly interrupt him.

"The Feudal Lord doesn't know much about me," I explain. "I don't want him being distracted by me. He needs to focus on his decision of whether he's approving you as the new Hokage or not."

Kakashi looks at me in defeat, understanding what I'm saying.

"Just try to relax, okay?" I say giving him a reassuring smile.

He stares at me for a bit before sighing calmly.

"Alright…I will," Kakashi says.

"Kakashi Hatake, enter," we hear someone call from behind the conference room doors.

Kakashi gives a bit of an unsure look as he gazes at the doors, hearing his name. I quickly place my hands on his face, stand a bit on the tip of my toes, and kiss him on the cheek.

"You'll be fine," I say in a calming voice, looking into his eyes.

He looks into my eyes for a bit and nods. I let go of his face and let him walk forward and enter the room. I watch as the doors slowly close behind him once he's inside.

'Kakashi…Hokage…' I think to myself with a small smile. 'I never thought he'd be taking up a position like that.'

I stand up straight and cross my arms, looking down in thought.

'You never really did like taking on high positions,' I continue to think about Kakashi. 'Even when we were together in an ANBU squad, you didn't really like the idea of becoming our squad's captain. But like now, I encouraged you and helped give you confidence to take that position. You did well as captain of your ANBU squad when I was part of it. I moved on to be captain of my own squad, and I still saw greatness in your leadership… This should be no different."

I then hear the sound of running footsteps. I turn to the doorway of the room and see Guy run in.

"Guy?" I say in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Where's Kakashi?" he asks stopping in front of me.

"He's inside; they're about to decide if he's going to be the Hokage or not."

Guy quickly sprints to the doors of the conference room and opens them.

"Please excuse me!" he says aloud, standing in the doorway.

I stare at him, a bit puzzled.

"Guy?" Kakashi says in surprise.

"What is this?" the Fire Daimyō says. "We are in an important conference."

I walk up next to Guy, looking at him with a questionable expression.

"I have come to report a sudden change in the state of affairs!" Guy answers.

"What? A sudden change?" the Fire Daimyo says in surprise.

"Lady Tsunade has awakened from the coma!" Guy answers.

We all look at him in shock.

"Send messages to the other villages!" the elder woman says. "Tsunade, the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, is alive and well."

"Report this to the Feudal Lords of the other lands as well," Fire Daimyo says to one of the Council members.

"We should let the people of our village know at once," Shikaku says.

"I will leave that to you," the elder man says to Shikaku.

"Umm…Well…" Kakashi says with somewhat of a disappointed look.

The ANBU ninja quickly runs past Kakashi and heads out the conference room.

"May I go home?" Kakashi asks.

I walk up to Kakashi with Guy.

"Since we're here now," Guy says, putting a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "Why don't we go and eat at that sushi boat restaurant? Let's see who can eat the most!" he says with a friendly wink and smile.

"Sounds great!" I say with a smile. "But I have to see Kurenai first. She must be worried about me."

"Alright," Kakashi says. "Off to Kurenai!"

After some time, we have reached the new apartment Kurenai is staying in. She lives on the first floor of the building, which is good because it's best she doesn't walk many stairs in her condition.

"You think she might be mad at you?" Kakashi asks me as we enter the apartment building with my key.

"I don't think so," I answer, leading Guy and Kakashi through the hallway of the apartment building. "I mean, she might be…"

"Knowing Kurenai and how she acted when we were younger," Guy says. "She might give you a pep talk."

"Let's just hope it's a pep talk," I say with a sweat drop and unsure look as we approach the apartment door.

I unlock and open the door slowly.

"Kurenai?" I say peeking my head in and looking around. "Are you here?"

I walk into the living room space and look around. Guy and Kakashi walk in and stand by the door.

"Hm. Is she sleeping or something?" I ask as I look toward my left.

I suddenly hear a door open and someone approach me quickly from my right. Arms embrace me tightly, startling me.

"Denizu!" Kurenai says as she let's go of me and flicks me on my forehead. "Where have you been all day? Someone told me that they saw you blindfolded! What happened to you? Do you realize how worried I was about you?" she continues, flailing her arms and hands a bit.

"Kurenai, please, calm down," I say while rubbing the spot she flicked on my head, smiling nervously with a sweat drop. "I believe I told you I was going on a mission right before I left… I'm here, aren't I?"

Kurenai looks at me in surprise and keeps her arms down. She's quiet for a bit, and her lips tremble a bit as tears form in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Denizu!" Kurenai says, embracing once again with drops of tears sprinkling off her eyes. "I was just so worried!"

Guy and Kakashi watch us with smiles and sweat drops. After a few seconds, Kurenai lets go of me, giving me the chance to finally breathe.

"So what are you guys up to?" Kurenai says, turning to Guy and Kakashi.

"We're going to eat at a sushi boat restaurant," Guy answers. "Care to join us?"

"That sounds great, but I won't be able to," Kurenai answers. "I have to get to my doctor's appointment."

"Do you want me to go with you?" I ask.

"No, it's fine. You go on and have fun!" Kurenai says with a smile. "I don't mind. I'll be with a few mothers-to-be in our pregnancy classes, so I'll be fine."

"Oh, Kurenai…" I say with a sniff, tearing up a bit. "You're going to be a mother!"

Kurenai and I embrace one another with tears of happiness. Kakashi and Guy watch with smiles and sweat drops again.

"Alright," I say as I wipe my eyes, separating from Kurenai. "We'll be off then."

"You guys go on now!" Kurenai says with a smile as she waves us on.

"Thanks, Kurenai," Kakashi and Guy say as we walk out the door.

I close the door after us and we begin to head to the door of the apartment building.

"Those emotions of Kurenai seem to get to her, huh?" Guy says looking at me with a smile.

"Yeah, especially with her pregnancy and all," I answer as we step out of the apartment building.

"You two do really look like sisters," Kakashi says. "I remember people used to call you two sisters when we were younger."

We walk through the village past a few shops. I am walking in between both of them: Kakashi on my left and Guy on my right.

"Yeah. You two are close and look quite a bit a like," Guy adds.

"I can say something similar to you," I say to them. "Both of you are practically brothers in a way, especially because of the competitions you have."

"Kakashi will always be like a brother to me," Guy says grinning at Kakashi. "And my eternal rival!"

I smile up at Guy as we continue to walk. I then look at the sky and see that the sun is setting.

"It's getting dark soon," I say staring at the sky.

"We should have some fun before then," Kakashi says looking up at the sky too.

After a few minutes, we finally reach the sushi restaurant. We walk in and find a table booth somewhere in the back of a private area. The table is kept in privacy with a sliding door. I sit next to the wall and Kakashi sits next to me on my right. Guy sits on the other side of the table, in the middle of the long seat.

"What will it be?" a young man comes up to us with a notepad and asks.

"We'll start off with some sake," Guy says. "It'll get us started, Kakashi!"

The young man nods and closes the sliding door after leaving.

"Do you drink, Denizu?" Kakashi asks me.

"I don't drink that much," I say with a nervous smile and sweat drop.

"Oh, then we'll see how much you can take," Guy says with a smile.

The sliding door opens and the young man comes in with a large bottle of sake and three small cups on a rectangular tray.

"Here you go," the young man says with a smile. "Enjoy!"

With that, the young man leaves, closing the sliding door.

"Alright," Guy says as he hands us all a cup and begins to pour some sake into each of them. "Drink up!"

I take a look into my cup and stare into the clear liquid. I then take a sip and sit there for a bit, letting the flavor sink through. Liking it, I quickly drink the rest of it in one gulp, then reaching for the bottle and pouring some more into my cup. Kakashi and Guy look at me in surprise.

"Wow, Denizu," Guy says, staring at me in surprise. "We haven't even taken a sip from ours yet, and you're already going for the second!"

"Actually, you're the only one who hasn't taken a sip," Kakashi says to him, taking the sake bottle and pouring some more into his cup.

Guy looks at Kakashi in surprise.

"How are you able to drink it so quickly without me seeing it?" Guy asks him. "Do you even take your mask off?"

"I do it at the right moment," Kakashi says.

Guy looks at him suspiciously but then shakes it off, drinking the sake in his cup in one gulp.

"I'm up for a drinking contest!" Guy says getting the bottle of sake and pouring some more into his cup.

"I actually don't want to drink so much tonight," Kakashi says. "No more sake for me!"

"What about you, Denizu?" Guy says turning to me.

Kakashi also turns to me. To their surprise, they see me drinking straight from the bottle of sake. I gulp it down quickly, not wanting to leave a single drop. After licking the opening of the bottle, I put it down on the table, a smile of satisfaction on my now clumsy looking face.

"Ahhh…" I say before a hiccup. "Haven't had that…in a long time."

"And you said you don't drink much…" Kakashi says looking at me with a sweat drop.

"All right!" Guy says with a grin and then opens the sliding door. "Two more bottles of sake, please!"

I sit there in my seat, staring blankly at the table with my eyelids half way open.

"When was the last time you drank, Denizu?" Guy asks.

"I—don't r-remember," I answer swaying to my right a bit.

"I'm pretty sure you don't," Kakashi says in a sarcastic-like tone.

I hiccup a little and smile at Kakashi.

"Aww, my Kashi…" I say with a smile in a drunken tone.

"Kashi?" Guy says in surprise.

"Y-yeah—I used to…call him that a lot when w-we were younger," I say with a smile, swaying to my left a bit. "My—little Kashi."

Guy looks at Kakashi with a look of disbelief as the young man brings in two more bottles of sake and closes the door after them.

"My little Kashi?" Guy says with a huge grin.

Guy bursts out laughing hysterically. Kakashi stares at him with his eyes half closed and a sweat drop.

"I can't believe it!" Guy says in laughter. "My little Kashi! Awww! He's all grown up!" he says in a teasing tone.

"At least I have," Kakashi gets back at him.

"Oooo! He got you there—Guy!" I say with a smile. "Which by the way…"

I say as Guy takes a sake bottle and begins to pour some into his cup. He then begins to drink it.

"Don't—they call you Bushy Brow sensei?" I continue.

Guy freezes in surprise and almost chokes on the sake in his mouth after swallowing it. I laugh at him while swaying forward.

"At least Kakashi—has some of his name in his nickname!" I say in a teasing tone at Guy.

I laugh hysterically while slamming my hand on the table. Kakashi also chuckles a bit as he sees Guy with a pout-like face.

"You got me there," Guy says letting a slight grin escape. "Now let us drink!"

"I challenge your accept!" I say before a hiccup, swaying a bit as I point at Guy.

Kakashi laughs, noticing I'm so drunk I switched up two words in my sentence. I grab the bottle of sake and clumsily pour some into my cup, pouring a bit on the table. I put the bottle down and drink the sake in my cup at the same time Guy drinks his. We pour more into our cups and drink one shot after another. This goes on for a while until Guy and I finish two bottles of sake, with Kakashi watching with a sweat drop throughout the whole time. Guy even ordered the sushi for him and Kakashi to have their sushi eating challenge. Guy had some trouble eating as much as he could since he drank quite a lot. I cheered excitedly and drunkenly for both of them, occasionally stealing some sushi from them. We've spent nearly over two hours here, laughing and conversing about random things, such as Guy failing at drinking some sake, missing his mouth and spilling some on his face instead. We also laughed at me almost sliding under the table because I was laughing so much and so hard. Guy and I ended up singing some random songs we made up as we went along and playing imaginary instruments. The employees and other customers in the area of the restaurant probably heard all of this, but we didn't care much; we just goofed off and entertained Kakashi, the only one who was sober.

The three of us continue to laugh out loud after Guy shared a joke. The sliding door then opens, revealing Aoba.

"Guy, Denizu, and Kakashi," he says with a smile. "I knew I recognize those voices."

"Hey, A—oba!" I say with a clumsy wave as I begin to lean back toward the wall. "Care to join the p-party?"

"All right, for the next b-bottle…" Guy says as he slowly reaches for the second sake bottle.

"Oh, no; that's it," Kakashi says, taking the bottle away from Guy. "You've both had enough."

"I only came to eat a quick dinner," Aoba asks. "It seems you've got your hands full, Kakashi," he says with a slight chuckle as he glances at me and Guy.

"I do," Kakashi answers. "Guy can't even hold his cup and drink from it correctly, and look at Denizu; she can't even sit up straight," he says as he and Aoba look at me trying to sit myself up, away from the wall.

I stop moving for a bit and stare at Aoba and Kakashi.

"What?" I say with a smile and hiccup. "I'm just…trying to sit up."

"Seems like you're the only one functioning, Kakashi," Aoba says with a chuckle.

"Seems like it," Kakashi says, chuckling a bit in response. "Care to help me take them home, Aoba?"

"Sure," Aoba answers. "I'm already finished with my dinner."

"Check please!" Kakashi says to the young man from earlier.

The young man walks over and gives Kakashi the receipt.

"I'll pay my sh-share…" Guy says digging in his pocket.

"I-I have my money—too," I say pulling out bills from my pocket.

Kakashi also puts his share of the bill in and gives it to the young man. Guy begins to step out of the booth, having trouble standing up. Aoba puts Guy's arm over his shoulder, helping him stand up correctly as they move away from the booth.

"I believe we did o-our best…" Guy says trying to hold a thumb up at Aoba.

"Guy…what are you talking about?" Aoba asks.

Kakashi watches them and chuckles.

"Alright, Denizu," Kakashi says as he turns to me.

He stops in mid sentence and is surprised. I am sleeping soundly with a slight blush on my cheeks, leaning on his shoulder. Kakashi smiles down at me with warmth in his eyes.

'She couldn't stay awake anymore…' Kakashi thinks to himself. 'She _did_ finish a bottle of sake, after all.'

Kakashi then turns a bit and pulls me out of the booth and then carries me bridal style.

"Let's go," Kakashi says to Aoba as he begins to walk to the exit of the restaurant.

Kakashi and Aoba bring me and Guy out of the restaurant outside in the evening night.

"I'll take Guy to my place," Aoba says still helping Guy stand as he wobbles a bit. "It's just around this block. He needs to be under watch in this condition."

"I'll take Denizu to Kurenai's," Kakashi says with a nod. "Thank you, Aoba."

Aoba nods with a smile and then turns to walk in the opposite direction.

"Kurenai's is pretty far from here," Kakashi says to himself. "So I'll just use a short cut."

With that, Kakashi makes us disappear in a puff of smoke. We reappear in front of Kurenai's apartment door. He reaches for my keys in my pocket and opens the door. He turns and closes it after him.

'Kurenai must not be home yet,' Kakashi thinks to himself as he looks around the dark apartment.

He walks into my bedroom and sets me down on my bed. He makes sure I'm comfortable by taking my ninja sandals off and sets them under the bed.

'I'm going to stay with her until Kurenai gets home,' Kakashi thinks to himself as he fixes the covers over me. 'I don't want to leave her alone.'

Kakashi is about to leave the room but I then grab his wrist. He turns to me in surprise.

"Please don't leave me…" I say in a low tone, my eyes not open. "Please stay with me, Kakashi…"

Kakashi stares at me for a bit. He then sits on the bed and takes his ninja sandals and jonin vest off. He also takes his headband off and places it on my nightstand, and then climbs under the covers with me. I move closer to him and bury my head into his chest as he pulls me into his arms. He caresses my hair a bit and kisses me softly on my head through his mask. After a few minutes, we both fall soundly asleep.

Not long after Kakashi and I fall asleep, Kurenai arrives. She walks into my bedroom and is surprised to peek in and see Kakashi and I sleeping soundly together. She quietly steps out and closes the door slowly.

"He's finally accepted to show his feelings for her…" Kurenai says to herself, smiling warmly.


	18. Chapter 18

Part Eighteen

I wake up to the sudden sound and sight of a flash. My eyes hurt a bit as I squint to see what's going on. I moan a bit in pain from the headache as I turn my head a bit. Kakashi also turns his head and lets go of me as he turns to see who it is. It's Kurenai, who has taken a picture of Kakashi and I sleeping together.

"Rise and shine, you two!" Kurenai says with a smile as she holds the camera up again and takes another picture.

"Kurenai, please…" I moan in pain as I cover my eyes with my hand. "The flash is hurting my eyes and the sound of us talking is making my head hurt…"

"What did you guys do last night?" Kurenai asks Kakashi.

"Well, Denizu and Guy got a bit carried away with the sake," Kakashi answers turning to see me trying to hide under the covers.

"Ah, I see…" Kurenai says looking over at me. "Well, Kakashi, a note arrived for you just now."

Kurenai walks over to Kakashi with a small scroll in her hand. Kakashi pushes the covers off himself and sits up on the bed, pushing his spiky, silver hair back a bit.

"Thank you, Kurenai," Kakashi says taking the scroll from her.

Kurenai then walks out of the room, grinning at the fact that she has taken pictures of me and Kakashi as she holds the camera. Kakashi sits there and opens the scroll, reading the message from Lady Tsunade.

"Kakashi, meet us at the council room at 9:30AM today," is what it reads.

Kakashi looks over at the clock on my nightstand and sees that it's 9:23AM. With that, Kakashi quickly gets up from the bed and begins to put his ninja sandals on. I notice that he's moving quickly and peer from under the covers while squinting to see him.

"What's wrong?" I ask in a quiet, tired tone.

"I have to meet with Lady Tsunade and the Council," he answers as he finishes putting his ninja sandals on. "I have to be there at 9:30, and it's already 9:24AM."

I groan a bit quietly. He grabs his jonin vest and turns to me in surprise.

"What?" he asks.

"I wish you could stay in bed with me longer…" I say covering most of my face with the bed sheet.

He stares at me as he quickly puts his jonin vest on and zips it up. He reaches for his headband and then climbs on the bed and leans down to me.

"I'll see you some time after I'm finished," he says before kissing me on my forehead through his mask. "In the meantime, make sure to relieve yourself of this hangover."

I scoff at him with a smile and pull the covers back over my face. He climbs off the bed and smiles under his mask as he ties his headband around his forehead, covering his left eye. He turns and walks to the door.

"Kakashi," I call out to him.

He stops quickly and turns toward me.

"Tell Lady Tsunade I'm very glad that she's all right," I say still under the covers.

He stares and then smiles at me.

"I will," Kakashi says. "Now get some rest; I don't want you getting out of that bed until you feel better."

"Goodbye, Kakashi," I say in a loving tone, trying to avoid his request.

He scoffs with a smile and quickly leaves. I laugh quietly as I fix myself under the covers and close my eyes.

"Kashi…" I say with a smile, laughing a bit as I vaguely remember that I called him that last night at the sushi restaurant.

"Where did Kakashi leave to in such a hurry?" I hear Kurenai ask from the doorway.

"He went to meet with Lady Tsunade and the Council," I say grimacing a bit at the pain in my head.

"Hm… Well, I'll bring your breakfast to your bed since you're so hung-over," Kurenai says kiddingly as she steps out of the room. "By the way… you two look adorable when you're sleeping together."

"You _would_ say that," I say back to her with a smile.

Kurenai laughs out loud. She then comes back in the room with a tray.

"It's true!" she says as she sets the tray full of breakfast on the nightstand. "I was going to take a picture of you guys last night, but I was afraid the flash might wake you guys up."

"I probably wouldn't have seen the flash or heard it," I say slowly sitting up, squinting a bit. "I drank so much…"

"I didn't really expect you to drink," Kurenai says as she sits down on the bed.

"Well, throughout those eleven years I was gone, I picked up a few bad habits…"

"Does Kakashi know about them?"

I avoid her gaze, holding back a smirk as I reach for the tray of food. Kurenai gasps.

"He doesn't, does he?" Kurenai says grinning at me.

"Well, I figured they'd show casually as always," I answer placing the tray on my lap, grimacing at the pain in my head.

"I put some medicine next to the cup of orange juice," Kurenai says pointing to the tray.

"Thank you," I say taking the two pills, putting them in my mouth and then drinking from the cup of orange juice.

"So what other bad habits have you picked up?" Kurenai asks.

"Well, the whole drinking one is just occasional," I answer after setting the cup of orange juice down on the nightstand. "I only drink heavily when alcohol is exposed to me."

"So if alcohol was exposed to you everyday, you'd drink until you pass out?"

"Pretty much," I say while chewing on a piece of egg.

Kurenai stares at me in disbelief. I chuckle a bit.

"Relax, I'm kidding," I say after swallowing the piece of egg. "I'm much more responsible than that. Which by the way, why'd you come home so late last night?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry about that. I stayed a little while longer with the doctor to ask some questions and we ended up having a great conversation."

"About?" I ask stuffing a piece of sausage in my mouth.

"Motherhood," Kurenai answers with a dreamy smile.

I continue to chew on the piece of sausage as I stare at Kurenai in wonder. She stares down at her stomach with a warm smile as she rubs it.

"You're excited and nervous about having the baby, aren't you?" I ask after swallowing the piece of sausage.

She looks up at me in surprise with a slight blush on her cheeks.

"I am…" she answers looking back down at her stomach.

I stare at her with a small smile.

"Well, I may not know much about being a mother-to-be and being a mother in general," I say wiping my mouth with a napkin. "But I know you're going to do an excellent job."

Kurenai turns to me with a smile of appreciation.

"Thank you, Denizu," she says in a warm tone.

"You're most welcome!" I say with a smile, holding a piece of meat with my fork.

Kurenai and I smile at one another warmly. I then get back to eating my breakfast.

"The drinking is the worst habit I picked up, by the way," I say reassuring her,

"I certainly hope there isn't anything worse!" Kurenai warns me teasingly.

I chuckle.

It's now some time after 10am. I am wandering about the village, looking around and observing everything and everyone. Other thoughts come to my mind as I make my way through the village in hope of distracting myself. My hangover hasn't completely passed, but it's a whole lot better than when I first woke up. All I have right now is a minor headache that will go away in no time once I relax my mind a bit.

I am walking through a part of the village with my hands in my pockets and my gaze ahead. I watch children run along in laughter as they chase each other playfully. An old woman and a girl walk calmly down the path, the little girl holding on to her grandmother's hand. I then look up and see some men and young boys rebuilding the top part of a building. A warm smile spreads across my face as I observe this wonderful, warm, loving atmosphere.

"Denizu sensei!" I hear someone call out to me from behind.

I stop and turn to see Sakura running to me.

"Sakura," I say to her in surprise. "What's wrong?"

"Did you know that Naruto is leaving the village on an important mission?" she says as she stands in front of me.

"He is?" I ask in surprise. "When is he leaving?"

"He'll be leaving with Captain Yamato, Guy sensei, and Aoba sensei soon. They should be arriving at the front gates ready to leave."

"I have to say goodbye to Naruto!" I say in panic. "Thank you, Sakura! I'll see you later!"

With that, I wave goodbye and hold up a hand sign. I disappear in a puff of smoke and then reappear somewhere near the main gates of the village. I spot Naruto walking to exit past the village gates with Yamato, Guy and Aoba waiting for him outside. I quickly sprint toward them.

"Naruto!" I call out to him.

Naruto stops in his tracks and turns around. He is surprised to see me running toward him, flailing my arms. As soon as I reach him, I embrace him in my arms. Naruto is a bit astonished at this but hugs back.

"I was just informed that you're leaving the village," I say still hugging him. "I got here to catch you before you left to say goodbye."

I pull apart from him and keep my hands on his shoulders, looking into his eyes.

"Please be careful, Naruto," I say to him with a warm smile.

He is a bit surprised at this and stares at me in wonder.

"Be safe, alright?" I say brushing his hair with my hand as I smile.

Naruto's astonished expression then turns into a confident smile.

"Thanks, Denizu sensei!" he says with an appreciative smile as he embraces me in a hug.

I hug him back with a warm smile.

"Are we going to get goodbye hugs, too?" Yamato asks me in a joking manner. "Whoops! Let's hope that Kakashi didn't hear that!"

"What was that, Yamato?" a familiar voice asks from behind.

Yamato turns to see Kakashi standing right behind him. He jumps back in surprise as he smiles nervously with a sweat drop at Kakashi. Naruto and I pull apart as we look at Kakashi in surprise.

"Uh, K-Kakashi!" Yamato says while rubbing the back of his neck. "I was just kidding!"

Kakashi stares at him with a serious, dark face. Yamato shutters in fear as he jumps in front of Aoba. Kakashi suddenly changes his dark appearance into a happy one.

"Relax, Yamato!" Kakashi says with a smile as he pats Yamato on his back. "I'm just kidding!"

Yamato sighs in relief as Aoba and Guy laugh at him.

"Kakashi sensei got you good!" Naruto says as he points and grins at Yamato.

"I'm sorry about that, Kakashi and Denizu," Yamato says with an apologetic look.

"It's all right, Yamato!" I say with a smile. "Please be careful on your mission and make sure you guys are safe."

"We will," Aoba says with a smile.

"You can count on us!" Guy says with a smile, holding out his thumb.

I stand next to Kakashi as Yamato, Aoba, and Naruto begin to head on their way.

"Goodbye, guys!" I say as I wave my hand. "Hope to see you soon!"

"Same here, Denizu sensei!" Naruto says as he waves back. "Goodbye to you too, Kakashi sensei!"

Kakashi gives him a calm wave and a smile. Aoba, Guy, and Yamato also wave goodbye before turning and continuing on their way.

"I'm gonna miss that knuckle head…" I say with a smile.

"It's for his own good," Kakashi says.

I turn to him in surprise.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Tsunade is sending him off under the guise of a top-secret mission to the Land of Lightning to keep him hidden away from the Akatsuki," Kakashi answers.

"So Naruto doesn't know…"

"Nope. It's best he doesn't, at least until he gets to his destination. But knowing Naruto, I'm sure he'll find out the truth one way or another."

"I can imagine," I say with a chuckle.

"Now, about your condition…" Kakashi says turning to me with his arms crossed.

"What?" I ask with a cocked eyebrow.

"It's only been over half an hour since you woke up," Kakashi continues. "I don't think you've recovered fully, especially with how much you drank last night."

"Relax, Kashi," I say beginning to walk away. "I only have a minor headache; that's all."

Kakashi suddenly claps his hands together right next to my ear. I grimace in pain and cover my ears as I hunch over, groaning a bit in pain.

"A minor headache, huh?" Kakashi says.

"That hurt…" I say while pouting.

"Come on, we're going back to Kurenai's so you can rest more," he says as he begins to pull me by the arm and walk toward the long, inclined platform that leads into the village.

"Yes, Kashi…" I say with a sigh and pout.

We walk down the inclined platform and head toward the village. By now, Kakashi has let go of my arm, letting me walk close to him on his right.

"How'd it go at the meeting?" I ask.

"We just discussed the possible war tactics that Madara might use in the war," Kakashi answers. "We need to keep in mind that he possesses some of the tailed beasts. We need to take precaution and protect Naruto and keep him hidden."

"So the whole guise of the secret mission was intended because Naruto might refuse."

"Precisely," Kakashi says turning to me. "You've gotten to know him quite well."

"I'm his sensei; of course I have!" I say with a smile.


	19. Chapter 19

Part 19

It's been a few days since Naruto has left the village. Everyone in Konoha is doing the same as before he left: repairing damage and maintaining order. The older and more experienced jonin are off on missions that are coordinated by either Lady Tsunade or her second in command, Shizune. Many of the younger jonin and chunin are helping with supplies for the preparation of the war. So far it's looking rather well.

"You needed me, Lady Tsunade?" I say as I step into her office and close the door behind me. I walk toward her desk as she looks up from her paper work.

"I have assigned you a mission," she says as she picks up a paper from her desk. "We have information about our enemy from a small village about a mile and a half east of here."

"What kind of information?" I ask.

"We've received a tip about a possible route our enemy will be taking," Tsunade replies as she hands me the paper to look at. "Here are the exact directions and location; you'll find your contact there."

"I'm on it," I say after looking over the paper and nodding.

Tsunade nods as a sign of dismal. I disappear in a puff of smoke and reappear outside the gates of the village. I begin to head off into the forest.

"Where are you off to?" I hear a familiar voice say.

I turn to my left in surprise and see Kakashi walking toward me.

"Coming back from your mission, I see," I say as he and I stop in front of one another.

"Yes, and I see you're going off to yours," he replies.

"Yeah; I've been sent to retrieve some important intel."

"What kind?"

"Information on a possible route that our enemy may take in the war."

"Hm. Is it from a valid source?"

"Lady Tsunade verified the source and has given me the exact location on where to retrieve the intel and how to get there."

Kakashi stands there and thinks for a moment. I wait for what he's going to say.

'He's probably thinking about the possible ways I may be in danger…' I think to myself with a sweat drop.

"Since I can't accompany you to any missions," Kakashi says interrupting my thoughts. "I'll have Pakkun go along with you this time."

He performs hand signs and in a puff of smoke, Pakkun appears on the ground next to me. His bored expression changes into a happy one once he sees me.

"Nice to see you again, Denizu," Pakkun greets.

"Long time no see, Pakkun!" I say with a smile.

"Kakashi, are you going to make me stalk Denizu again?"

Kakashi shutters into a frozen stance but then sighs, making his body droop forward.

"He's sent you to stalk me before?" I ask a bit dumbfounded.

"I only do it to ensure your safety," Kakashi says as he looks at me with an honest and apologetic gaze.

I look at him in surprise but then change my expression to a warm smile. I step forward in front of him and lean in to peck him on the lips through his mask. He's a bit surprise at this and looks at me in wonder.

"I appreciate your concern," I say gazing at him. "I don't mind your act of protection."

His surprised expression then changes to a warm smile with his visible eye. I mess with his hair and give him a wink.

"Come on, Pakkun; we have intel to retrieve as quickly as possible," I say as I begin to walk forward to the east direction.

Pakkun follows me as we stop after a few feet.

"We'll be back soon, safely," I say looking back at Kakashi with a smile.

Kakashi returns the look. With that, Pakkun and I take off quickly.

After about almost a half hour, Pakkun and I arrive at the small village. We cross on a bridge over a wide stream of water. Men carrying barrels over their shoulders walk past us as we look around.

"This is a mighty cute place here," Pakkun comments as he looks around, a few children running a few feet in front of us. "It's a pretty good place to meet in order to retrieve some intel."

We continue to walk into the village. Dozens of children are running around and playing while letting out a lot of laughter. Many elderly women are strolling by, enjoying the nice weather. The sound of metal clanking from a nearby key and lock shop is heard faintly. We arrive at a small tea parlor and head inside. Quite a few people are here drinking tea or enjoying a sweet dessert. I peer around and spot a man sitting in one of the small middle tables of the area. I see that he's wearing an elaborate black bracelet, a symbol that indicates he's the contact with the intel.

'That's what the paper explained,' I think to myself as I walk toward the man at the table. "He's sitting right in that middle table," I say to Pakkun.

"Go on ahead; I'll wait right outside," he answers as he heads out.

I walk up to the table the man with brown hair and a fair skin tone is sitting in.

"Hello, I'm Denizu from the Leaf; the Hokage has sent me," I say as I sit down, pulling out the paper Lady Tsunade gave me to use as proof.

"Ah, yes, please join me!" he says as he smiles. "I am Ishuzu from a village about three miles north of here. I have attained a possible route the enemy might be taking. Care for some tea?" he says as he holds a tea kettle up from a tray with an extra small tea cup sitting on it.

"Yes, please," I answer with a smile.

With that, he places the cup in front of me and pours some tea into it and into his cup as well. He then pulls out a scroll and opens it on the surface of the table.

"Several of my comrades and I have spotted suspicious men passing by this area here repeatedly," Ishuzu says as he pushes some of his brown hair from his face. "We know for a fact that they are enemies because of the black cloaks with the red cloud designs."

"The Akatsuki…" I say quietly before taking a sip from my tea.

"Precisely. Here is the route in which we have spotted them passing through," he continues as he points along a path on the map. "We prefer not to have taken any further action because of a risk of getting our home village into danger."

"No, don't worry; you did the right thing," I say as I look at the map, recalling how dangerous the Akatsuki can be.

Ishuzu begins to chug down his tea and quickly pours himself some more. I look up at him from the map in surprise.

"You seem awfully thirsty for the tea," I say with a smile as I look back on the map.

"Oh, well, I just simply love this type of tea!" he answers with a smile and sweat drop. "I have this tea back at home; I always drink it."

"Well, you have really good taste in tea," I say gazing up at him with a friendly smile before sipping more from the tea.

He chuckles with a friendly smile. There's a sudden explosion heard from outside, sending a trembling sensation around us. People scream and shriek from fear inside and outside of the tea parlor. I take the scroll with the map, insert it into one of my pouches, and immediately head out to check out what's going on with Ishuzu behind me. Looking left and right, I spot Pakkun running toward me.

"Pakkun, what's going?" I ask as Ishuzu and I move quickly toward him.

"Some whack jobs are attacking the village," he answers. "It looks really bad!"

Ishuzu looks at Pakkun with a look of disbelief. I head around the corner where I hear all the commotion coming from. Pakkun and Ishuzu follow close behind me. I am shocked to see a building nearly blown to pieces completely. People are running and screaming in horror as I spot the culprits standing some feet away facing a woman on the ground. The woman appears to be holding an injured child in her arms. I feel anger beginning to boil inside of me.

"Why are you doing this? You've hurt so many people!" the woman yells angrily at the six men carrying weapons. "Look at this child's condition! Have you no heart?"

I gaze at the woman and feel like I recognize her. I examine her shoulder length hair and slightly tan skin tone.

"You've got a big mouth, lady," a man with a sword says to her. "It's going to cost you your life!"

At that moment, I instantly recognize her. My eyes widen in shock as the man raises his sword, ready to strike the woman and the child. I quickly take a hold of my katana, and in a matter of a second, appear between the man and the woman, stopping his strike with my katana. The woman braces herself by covering the injured child with her body in an embrace. Once she notices that the man's sword has been stopped, she looks up at me in surprise. I glare at the man, still in block position with my katana against his sword. The man gazes at me with anger and confusion.

"What the hell are you doing, lady?" the man asks in frustration. "Mind your business before you have your head cut off."

I quickly maneuver my sword to knock his to the ground, kick him straight in his stomach, and send him flying into his five men. They catch him and look at me in anger.

"Get to safety," I say to the woman, standing in front of her in a defense stance. "Attend to the wounded; I'll take it from here."

The woman stares at me in astonishment as I have my back to her. I turn my head slightly to her.

"Don't worry about a thing, Mizuki; I'll take care of these guys," I say to her. "Please, attend to the child and the others who are wounded."

"De…Denizu…" she whispers in disbelief.

With that, she snaps out of it and quickly carries the wounded child to safety. I look back at her a bit to make sure she's off at a far enough distance and then turn my attention back to the six men. They give me angry looks while gritting their teeth.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" one of the men says in anger.

"Do you have any idea what we are capable of?" another man says.

"Frankly, I only see six men who are strong enough to attack innocent lives and damage a building in a small village," I say with a serious tone. "That says to me that you're merely pathetic."

The man I had kicked looks at me with even more anger in his eyes. They all clench their fists and grab their weapons.

"Now I'm asking you to stand down," I warn.

"It's a bit too late for us to do that," the man I had kicked says.

I gaze at him with a serious glare. He then charges at me in a fighting stance. After throwing a punch, he is surprised I have merely moved to the side to avoid it. I round house kick him to the ground, making him roll on his side. The rest of the men charge at me with their weapons ready. I look toward the first who is carrying a large hammer. He strikes it at me, but I jump up to dodge it, jump on his back and push him to the ground face first. I jump toward the second man who swings his thick metal chain at me. It swiftly passes over my head after I crouch down and elbow him hard in the ribs, causing him to fall to the side. The third man attempts to kick me in the stomach, but I quickly block it with my knee. I move into his face and look him straight in the eyes, making his eyes widen in surprise and horror. I then punch him straight in the face, causing him to fall back into the last two men.

"Her eyes!" the man who I just punched says out loud in fear. "They're not ordinary eyes!"

I stand there and look straight at them with my mutated Sharingan activated. All six men stare at me with horror in their faces, not knowing what exactly to do.

"Never mind her eyes!" one man says in anger. "Let's just kill her!"

All six men surround me and attack. I stand in fighting position and begin to defend myself. One with the sword attempts to slash me from behind, but I quickly turn, block it with my katana, and kick him hard enough to make him land on his back on the ground. Another jumps at me, about the slam me with the chain. Just at that moment, another is coming at me from behind, so I jump back over him and push him into the path of the thick metal chain; it slams him hard on the back, causing him to face-plant into the ground. I jump up in front of the man who slammed the chain, kick him hard in the face and send him flying back into another one of the men.

'I have to get this area cleared and safe from these bandits…' I think to myself. 'I have to end this now.'

With that, I block a punch from one of the men. Instead of punching back, I grasp his forearm and pull him toward me. I look straight into his eyes, causing him to black out immediately. I dodge an attack from a man behind me and turn to look at him in the eyes, making him black out. I repeat this process until all of the six men are on the ground unconscious. After the last man, I stand there looking over their knocked out bodies. After a few seconds, I feel a sharp pain in my eyes, causing me to wince in pain a bit.

'What the-?' I think to myself as I cover one of my closed eyes with a grimace. 'Why are they hurting again?'

"Denizu, what's wrong?" Pakkun asks as he runs up to me.

"Nothing… I'm fine," I say as I deactivate my Sharingan, ignoring the pain and opening my hurting eyes.

"You sure have some skill," Ishuzu says as he walks up to me next to Pakkun.

"Uhh, thanks," I say forcing a smile at Ishuzu.

"You sure took care of them!" Ishuzu says as he looks over the knocked out men.

I turn a bit away from him and Pakkun and squint my eyes a bit.

'Damn…Pakkun noticed I was in pain…He may tell Kakashi about it…' I think to myself. 'I'm going to have to find out why exactly my eyes begin to hurt…'

"Well, they'll be locked up for a long time," I hear Pakkun say.

I turn to him and then at the men. The bandits are being carried away by authority figures of the village.

"Well, that's a relief…" I say.

I then turn my attention to Mizuki and the child from before. She has finished bandaging the unconscious child's injured arm. I walk over to her past some medical figures attend to the few that are wounded.

"Mizuki, are you all right?" I ask as I kneel down next to her with my hand on her shoulder.

"Denizu…" she says with a smile of relief.

"Is he going to be all right?" I ask referring to the injured child.

"Yes, he will be. Thankfully he just has a bruised arm and leg," she answers, letting a medical figure take him away. "How are you? I saw that you were facing a bit of some pain."

"No, no, I'm perfectly fine," I say quickly. "What are you doing in this village?"

"I was on my way to the Leaf in order to find you. I heard of the war and wanted to aid you in any way possible."

"I'm on a mission and I'm going back now. You can come along with me."

"That sounds like a good idea," she says with a smile, pushing up her rectangular glasses.

Before leaving the small village, I checked in with authorities to make sure they can handle the bandits. Ishuzu and I also exchanged goodbyes and went our separate ways from there.

Pakkun, Mizuki and I are now heading back to the Leaf village. We're walking through the path that heads straight to the main gates.

"So you're saying you left your home in order to assist the people of the Leaf?" I ask Mizuki as I fix my katana in its strap.

"Yes, as soon as I heard that your village was in danger, I had decided to travel there to assist in anyway," Mizuki replies as she fixes her bag of belongings on her back.

"How exactly do you plan on helping the Leaf?" Pakkun asks.

"I specialize in the medical field," Mizuki replies as she pushes her glasses up on her nose. "I'm basically a medic with over ten years of experience."

"Mizuki is the one who found me injured and took me in years ago," I say to Pakkun. "I owe her quite a lot for doing that."

"It seems that we're on the same terms since you saved me from those bandits earlier," Mizuki says with a joking smile.

"Now I know that Kakashi doesn't have to worry about you," Pakkun says jokingly.

"Kakashi? Who's Kakashi?" Mizuki asks giving me a questioning look. "That name sounds familiar…"

"You'll see soon enough," I say with a smile as I rub the back of my neck with a sweat drop.

Pakkun sees me do this and just smiles with a grunt. We have finally reached the village gates. They are open right now with people loading wagons full of supplies that are ready to head out.

"So this is all for the war?" Mizuki asks as she quickly moves next to me as she observes the scene.

"Yes, and there's a lot more to prepare than just this," I reply as we continue to head inside the village.

We head to Lady Tsunade's office so that I can report back to her the intel from Ishuzu.

"Lady Tsunade, I have arrived from my mission with the intel," I say as I walk into her office.

"Ah, Denizu, I was hoping you'd arrive soon," Tsunade says as she walks over to me from her desk.

"Here is a map that illustrates a route our enemy has been taking for some time now," I say as I open the scroll and show it to her. "I've confirmed from the contact that it is the Akatsuki who have passed through there."

"This is very good information…" Tsunade says as she examines the map. "Thank you for retrieving this intel, Denizu. It was essential for us to have."

Tsunade then looks at Mizuki with a surprised look.

"And you are?" Tsunade asks her.

"My name is Mizuki Kyoto," Mizuki responds as she nervously pushes her glasses up on her nose. "I am here to aid the Leaf village in any way possible for the war."

"Mizuki is a close friend of mine," I say to Tsunade. "I ran into her in the village where I retrieved the intel. She was on her way here so I figured I'd bring her back with me."

"Well, how do you wish to help us?" Tsunade asks Mizuki.

"I am a medic with over ten years of experience," Mizuki replies.

"I am a former patient of hers from years ago," I say. "I assure you that Mizuki is very skilled in her area, and she will be an excellent addition on our medical team."

Tsunade looks at me and thinks about my reasoning for a second before smiling at me and Mizuki.

"Welcome to the Leaf Village," she says as she smiles a Mizuki. "We appreciate your want to help us here at a time of crisis."

"Thank you so much, Lady Tsunade!" Mizuki says as she bows a bit with a joyful smile. "I am more than happy to assist you and the village."

I smile warmly at Mizuki as she smiles warmly and excitedly at me.

"I'll leave you to help her feel at home, Denizu," Tsunade says with a smile.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," I say with a slight bow.

With that, Mizuki, Pakkun and I head out of her office. We head out of the Hokage's building and into the village.

"I'm so happy that I am part of your village, Denizu," Mizuki says with a joyful smile.

"I am too, Mizuki," I say. "It's been a while since we last saw each other."

"You're back," I hear a familiar voice say from behind.

I stop and turn to see Kakashi walking up to us.

"Kakashi…" I say with a smile.

"How was the mission?" Kakashi asks as he stands close in front of me.

"I ran into some trouble, but nothing I couldn't handle," I say with a smile and sweat drop.

"Do you mind explaining that to me?" Kakashi asks in a worried tone.

I smile while rubbing the back of my neck.

"Pakkun…." Kakashi says looking down at him, asking for an explanation.

"I'll leave that for Denizu to explain," Pakkun says before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi turns to me with a questioning look as I scratch my head nervously.

"Are you Denizu's longtime lover?" Mizuki interrupts.

Kakashi looks at her with a surprised expression.

"Kakashi Hatake, I remember Denizu talking an awful lot about you," Mizuki says.

"I'm sorry, but who are you to Denizu?" Kakashi asks.

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry!" Mizuki says in embarrassment as she then holds out her hand. "I'm Mizuki Kyoto, a close friend of Denizu's."

"Nice to meet you," Kakashi says as she shakes her hand.

"Do you guys mind if we discuss this over some coffee at my place with Kurenai?" I suggest.

It is late in the evening and we are now sitting in Kurenai's kitchen. I have just finished explaining how Mizuki and I met up in the small village while on my mission. Kakashi was a bit weary when he heard about me having to fight a total of six bandits.

"So you took care of Denizu after she had lost control of her curse seal?" Kurenai asks Mizuki before she sips from her coffee mug.

"Yes, she had explained to me who Orochimaru was and how she came about to be in that seriously injured state that night," Mizuki answers. "It's been quite a number of months since Denizu left from where I lived to here in the Leaf. As soon as she had heard of the future attack by the Akatsuki on the Leaf, she wanted to leave as soon as possible to warn the Hokage."

"She gave us a lot of trouble that day, by the way," Kakashi says as he glances at me, causing me to smile with a sweat drop.

"Unfortunately, the village wasn't able to prepare for the invasion in time," Kurenai says. "It was completely destroyed by the Akatsuki member, causing many lives to be lost. That is until our heroic ninja Naruto was able to speak with the Akatsuki member and manage to bring everyone back to life with a powerful jutsu."

"Wow, this Naruto you speak of must be a very skillful ninja," Mizuki says in surprise as she fixes her glasses.

"Naruto Uzumaki is one of my students," Kakashi says. "I've been his sensei since he was about twelve; I've watched him grow into a very strong ninja of seventeen."

"A seventeen year-old stopped the enemy who was able to destroy this village?" Mizuki says with an amazed expression.

"He's also Denizu's student," Kakashi adds. "She was recently assigned to my original team as their new sensei along with me."

"Really, Denizu?" Mizuki asks as she smiles at me.

"Yeah. I see Naruto not only as my student, but like a son," I say with a warm smile. "All three of my students are close to me, but Naruto is the one who I closely share a connection with."

Kakashi observes me as I say this with a thoughtful expression.

"I'm glad to know that you love your students so much," Mizuki says to me with a smile.

I return the smile with a slight happy giggle before sipping from my coffee.

"Well, I'm glad you had taken care of this knuckle head of mine for so long," Kurenai says as she hits the top of my head, causing me to tear up and pout. "She hadn't shown up for eleven years and now she still continues to worry me!"

"No need to be so harsh…" I mutter with a little girl voice as I have teary bulgy eyes, causing Kakashi to chuckle.

"Say, Mizuki, do you have a place you where can stay?" Kurenai asks.

Mizuki is surprised at this and smiles embarrassingly.

"Ummm…I seem to have forgotten about that!" she smiles with a sweat drop.

"You're more than welcome to stay at one of my closest friend's house," Kakashi says. "He's currently on a long mission and isn't going to return for a long while."

I think for a moment to find out who Kakashi is talking about. It suddenly hits me.

"You're talking about Guy's place, aren't you?" I say to Kakashi.

"I'm sure he won't mind," Kakashi says with a smile.

"How are you going to get in?"

"I'm like a personal house keeper who stops by every now and then to keep his house tidy and his pet turtles well fed."

"By 'every now and then', do you mean '_rarely ever'_?" I ask.

"You know me very well, don't you honey?" Kakashi says with a smile and sweat drop.

Kurenai bursts out with a chuckle at our behavior. Mizuki also giggles a bit at us.

"All right, you lover birds, it's late and Mizuki needs to get to a place to stay," Kurenai says. "I would let you stay here, but I don't have much room in this apartment."

"Don't worry, please, it's quite all right," Mizuki says with a smile. "It's completely understandable considering your state."

Kurenai smiles at her as she puts her hand on her enlarged belly.

"You can be Guy's temporary housekeeper as an exchange of living in his extra bedroom," Kakashi says to Mizuki. "He really needs to find someone else who will be there daily to feed his turtles."

"I'd be more than happy to take that deal," Mizuki says.

"Well, it's settled then," I say as I stand up. "Mizuki will be staying at Guy's!"

"You and Kakashi had better escort her now; it's awfully late and after what she's been through today with those bandits, I'm sure she wants to rest."

"Oh, thank you, Kurenai," Mizuki says with an appreciative smile.

"Let's head on out then," Kakashi says as he stands.

"I'll be back then, Kurenai!" I say as Kakashi and Mizuki follow me out of the apartment.

"Don't kidnap her, Kakashi! Tell when you want to so I know not to expect her back!" Kurenai jokes.

Kakashi chuckles as he waves her goodbye. I close and lock the apartment door before heading out.

"So how does it feel to be back together?" Mizuki asks, breaking the silence as we exit the apartment building.

"Absolutely wonderful," Kakashi answers by taking a hold of my hand.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," I say while giving him a warm smile.

"You both really are perfect for each other," Mizuki says. "I can see right away that just by being together you both are extremely happy – nothing else matters."

"Well, I have you to thank for taking care of her when I wasn't there," Kakashi says to Mizuki with a smile. "Who knows where she could have ended up?"

Mizuki and I smile at Kakashi's statement. After a few minutes of walking, we finally end up at Guy's place.

"Well, here's Guy's apartment," Kakashi says as he unlocks and opens the door. He holds it open for me and Mizuki and closes it after him.

"I hope you'll be fine here," Kakashi says as he turns on the living room light.

"Oh, of course, it's perfectly fine!" Mizuki says as she settles her bag down on the floor. "It's nice and tidy; you can tell no one has really been here for a while, but I'll be able to change that with a few sweeps!"

"I'm sure Guy will appreciate that," I say with a smile.

"Well, everything seems to be fine and you can find your way around easily," Kakashi says looking around the apartment and then opens the door of a room. "This is where you'll be sleeping."

"Thank you, Kakashi," Mizuki says with a slight bow. "I am looking forward to meeting your friend Guy so I can personally thank him as well."

"I'm sure he'll be surprised to find you here, but trust me, he won't mind at all," Kakashi says with a friendly smile.

With that, Mizuki yawns and stretches her arms out.

"We'll leave and let you rest now, Mizuki," I say to her with a smile. "You've had a long day."

"The apartment key is on the kitchen counter," Kakashi says.

"Thank you once again," Mizuki says with a sleepy smile.

"We'll see you!" I say as Kakashi and I step out of the apartment, closing the door after us.

We walk out of the apartment building and head out on the moon lit street. There's a while of silence between Kakashi and I.

"Pakkun left a note for me," Kakashi suddenly says. "It said something about your eyes when you faced those bandits…"

'Damn it, I knew he was going to find out and ask me…' I think to myself. "What about it?"

"What happened?" Kakashi asks with concern.

I take a deep breath and sigh with my eyes closed. Kakashi waits for my answer as we continue to walk at a steady pace.

"I'm not even sure what happened," I answer after opening my eyes. "I had used my Sharingan to knock the six bandits unconscious, and I suddenly felt this sharp pain afterward."

"Could it be because you over used it?"

"That's what I'm thinking. My vision began to blur a bit too. The pain and blurriness went away after having my Sharingan deactivated for some time."

"That's not a good sign…" Kakashi says with concern. "We have to find out the limit of how many times you can black people out and what the side effects are. Using it in battle without that knowledge can lead to danger for you."

"I know…" I say looking ahead with a serious gaze.

We arrive in front of the apartment building Kurenai and I live in. There's a brief moment of silence again.

"Denizu…" Kakashi says as he turns to me. "I hope I'm not being bothersome by making you do these things and having Pakkun go with you on some missions… I'm just…being cautious because I don't want to risk losing you again…"

I am hit strongly with his words. There's a slight breeze that causes multiple leaves to be blown past us. I look at Kakashi and place my hands on his cheeks.

"You're protecting me and taking measures to fulfill that…" I say gazing into his eyes. "I love you, Kakashi."

He looks at me with the same loving gaze before pulling down his mask and giving me a passionate kiss. A few seconds into it, he places his hands on my cheeks as well.

"It's time for you to go inside now…" Kakashi whispers in between kisses. "Kurenai is going to kill me if I take too long to bring you home."

I laugh a bit at his statement and so does he. After a second or two, I look up at his handsome laughing face as his eyes sparkle with the moonlight.

"I love to see the happiness in your eyes and face," I say to him. "I want to see you like that more."

"You're the one who makes me like this," Kakashi says as he leans closer to me.

I smile lovingly at him as he does the same, hugging me and bringing me closer.

"Okay, it's time to go," Kakashi says. "We've both had a long day of missions."

"Agreed," I say with a smile.

With that, we give each other a last kiss. I lift Kakashi's mask up all the way and caress his cheek. He holds my hand for a bit before we let go as I head up the stairs into the apartment building.

"Goodnight," we both say in unison, giving each other one last loving gaze before leaving each other for the night.


	20. Chapter 20

Part 20

_Next Day_

It's late in the afternoon. I'm on my way to visit Mizuki at Guy's place to find out what she wanted to tell me. It seems to be urgent and she can't wait to tell me about it.

"Hey there," I say with a smile as Mizuki opens the apartment door.

"Hello!" Mizuki says as she lets me pass and closes the door after me.

I stand a few feet behind her and let out a sigh.

"So, what's the urgent news?" I ask.

Mizuki looks at me with an excited expression as she bites her bottom lip.

"Lady Tsunade has appointed me to being a medical ninja for the shinobi in the war," Mizuki says with a smile.

I'm a bit surprised at this and give her a confused look.

"But you do realize that you're going to be in the middle of danger and risking yourself out there, yes?" I ask.

"I am very well aware of that," she says as she pushes her glasses up on her nose. "I came here for a reason and that is to aid the shinobi in any way possible. I'd be more than happy to get in the path of danger to attend to the wounded in battle."

"Mizuki…" I say with a proud smile.

"I wasn't sure how you would react if I had told you to come with me to ask Lady Tsunade to put me in a regiment where I can attend to the wounded in battle. I figured you would be upset and not let me go and instead make me stay here in the Leaf village where it's safer."

"I probably would have done that," I say with a smile, crossing my arms. "But I know you're determined to do what you want. I respect your decision in playing an important part in this war."

"Thank you, Denizu," Mizuki says with an appreciative smile. "I understand that you have lost loved ones in the hands of war, which is why you'd prefer for me to stay here in the village. I appreciate your concern for my safety."

Mizuki and I chuckle and exchange looks of appreciation.

"I have to make this meeting short," I say. "Lady Tsunade needs me at her office for a mission."

"No, it's completely understandable," Mizuki says. "I'm still wiping the dust off this place."

"All right then, I'll leave you to it," I say with a chuckle.

"Denizu," Mizuki calls out to me as I'm about to exit the apartment.

I turn back to her in surprise as I hold the door open.

"Be careful," she says with smile.

I nod and give her a determined look. With that, I close the apartment door and head out. As soon as I reach the street, I sprint and leap from rooftop to rooftop toward the Hokage's office.

'This is a good way to get some blood flowing,' I think to myself as I land on a rooftop and quickly leap on to another.

"Heading to Lady Tsunade?" I hear someone say from my behind me.

I turn toward the voice in surprise and see Kakashi catching up to me.

"I take it you're on your way there too?" I say with a smile.

"I've been called in for a mission," he responds as we both continue to glide over a rooftop.

"Yeah, we're both called in for that," I say as we both leap from the edge of a rooftop.

We finally arrive at the Hokage's building and head straight to Lady Tsunade's office.

"Lady Tsunade, you called us in for a mission?" Kakashi says as we walk in.

"Yes, I'm glad you both arrived together," Tsunade says as she picks up a folder. "This mission requires you both."

Kakashi and I are surprised.

"What rank is it?" I ask as Kakashi and I walk up to her desk.

"It doesn't have a rank, necessarily," Tsunade responds. "But it can end up being an S rank. The situation isn't exactly clear so there are many possibilities."

"What's our task?" Kakashi asks.

"There have been reports of bandits attempting to hijack supply units from a village about two miles northeast of here," Tsunade continues as she hands me the folder. "The man you see in the picture is the merchant who is supplying us with necessary merchandise to make more weapons."

"So you want us to escort this man, Kanju Ikawa, here to the village," I say after observing the man in the picture.

"Yes; I don't know the possibilities of bandits attempting to hijack this merchandise or their strength in power, so I've decided to put you two as heads of this mission."

"Is there anyone else you're assigning with us?" Kakashi says.

"I'll have Shikamaru Nara and Sakura Haruno assist you," Lady Tsunade says as Shikamaru and Sakura walk into the office. "Shikamaru will help you in advising strategies in case you're outnumbered by the enemy; it will serve him good practice for the war. Sakura will assist you as your medical ninja in case there are any casualties."

"Sounds reasonable," I say handing Kakashi the folder. "When do you want us to head out?"

"I want the four of you to head out now," Tsunade says as she moves some papers aside. "It's going to get dark soon, so it's going to get dangerous."

"Very well, then," Kakashi says as he folds the paper inside the folder and fits it into his jacket pocket. "We'll head out now."

"Sakura and Shikamaru already have bags of their own supplies," Tsunade adds. "There's no need for you two to take anything else."

"Makes it easier for us," Kakashi says as he places the empty folder on Tsunade's desk.

"We'll be back with the supplies then," I say as we begin to head out.

"Be careful," Lady Tsunade says before the four of us walk out of her office.

"I'm looking forward to being on a mission with you, Denizu sensei," Sakura says with a smile.

"Well, let's just hope this first mission with me doesn't turn out so badly," I respond.

"I agree with you on that," Shikamaru adds as he gives a bored look. "Though it will be good practice for me for my strategizing."

"Don't worry, Shikamaru," I say to him with a comforting smile. "You have me and Kakashi in case anything bad happens."

He looks at me with a bit of surprise but then returns the smile.

It's much darker and we are now arriving at the village. I explained to Shikamaru a bit about my Sharingan and how I'm still alive as well as how Kakashi and I know each other. He was profoundly surprised at what he learned and says he wishes to see me in action. I joked around with him by saying that he at first said he didn't want any trouble popping up in this mission.

"Is this the place?" I ask as the four of us arrive in front of a house that looks like a merchandise store.

"Yeah, this is the address," Kakashi says after reading the mission paper and putting it back into his pocket.

Sakura walks forward and tries to open the door, but it doesn't budge.

"It's locked," Shikamaru says. "It's awfully late, so it must be closed then."

"You must be ninja of the Leaf village," we hear someone say.

We turn to see an older man walk out of the shed from the side of the merchandise store. He has dark grey hair, glasses, and a few wrinkles on his face, making him seem like he's around his late forties or early fifties.

"Yes, we're here on our mission to escort you to the Leaf with the merchandise," Sakura says with a friendly smile.

"You must be Mr. Ikawa," I say walking forward to him and shaking his hand. "I'm Denizu Uchiha and here are Kakashi Hatake, Shikamaru Nara, and Sakura Haruno."

"Uchiha?" the man says in confusion. "Wasn't that clan wiped out long ago?"

"Well, it's just complicated to explain…" I say while rubbing the back of my head.

Suddenly, a little girl of about five years old walks up behind the man and hides behind him, giving us a shy and scared look. Her dark brown eyes peer up at me under her light brown bangs that lead to straight, shoulder length hair.

"This is my granddaughter," Kanju says. "Her name is Camila; she's a bit shy around strangers. And please, call me Kanju."

I continue to look at the little girl with curiosity. Knowing how it feels to be a shy child, I smile warmly at her to make her feel more comfortable. She sees my smile and is a bit surprised, but gives me a shy small smile in return.

"The wagon is fully loaded with the merchandise and some of our belongings," Kanju says. "My two horses are strapped in and ready to head out with it."

"Are you all right with leaving now?" Kakashi asks.

"Yes, we're ready to leave and get to her parents as soon as possible."

"We'll help you lead the horses out with the wagon," Shikamaru says as he begins to walk to the shed with Sakura.

With that, Shikamaru and Sakura begin to lead the horses out. Meanwhile, Kakashi and I stand next to Kanju on his right with Camila clinging to him on his left.

"So I take it your closing down your shop and leaving to stay in the Leaf village," I say to Kanju.

"I plan on that exactly," he responds. "My daughter, Camila's mother, and her husband left some weeks ago to the Leaf in order to find a place to live. They didn't want Camila going fearing that they would not find a place to stay due to the recent damage the Leaf has been through. I received a note from the Hokage asking for merchandise a day ago as well as a note from my daughter. She confirmed that they managed to find a place to live, so I packed everything up to head for the Leaf village. We don't want to risk being in a small village like this with a war about to commence; crazy ninja take this chance to raid small villages like this one, which has happened before. I want to leave this village safely with Camila, so I asked the Hokage for escorts to the Leaf with the merchandise and our belongings."

"With these recent hijacks, it was wise of you to do so," Kakashi says.

"Well, I hope that we don't run into trouble at all," Kanju says with a sigh. "The most important thing I'm taking to the Leaf is Camila – I don't want anything happening to her."

Sakura and Shikamaru finish leading the horses out with the wagon behind them. Kanju walks over and closes and locks the shed doors. Camila stands there and watches as the horses move the large wagon next to us. I see the excitement in her eyes as she gazes up at the horses.

"You like horses, huh?" I say to her.

She is surprised at what I said and shyly nods her head.

"Have you ever ridden one before?"

She slowly nods her head.

"Wow, you're very brave for riding a big horse at your size and age," I say with a smile.

She moves her upper body from side to side and fiddles with her fingers as she gives me a shy grin.

"Well, we're all set here," Shikamaru says as he observes the wagon.

"I'll be riding in the front to steer the horses," Kanju says as he approaches the seat in front of the wagon with the reigns. "Camila, I'm sorry honey, but you have to ride in the space on the back of the wagon; I have no room for you up here with me."

"That's all right. I'll keep her company," I say. "Is that okay with you, Camila?"

She looks up at me for a bit but then smiles shyly with a nod.

"Very well, then," Kanju says. "Can you please help her up on the back of the wagon, Denizu?"

"Of course! Let's go, Camila," I say with a smile as I hold my hand out for her to grab.

She looks at my hand for a bit and then grabs it. I walk her over to the back of the wagon as Kanju climbs on the front seat and takes hold of the reigns. Camila and I arrive in the back of the wagon and I crouch a bit to carry her and lift her up onto to the empty wooden platform.

"Well, we're set to go," I say to her with a smile.

She nods happily as she swings her legs over the edge of the platform.

"Is everyone ready to head out?" Kanju asks from the front.

I look at Kakashi who is standing on the right side of the wagon.

"I will take the front of the wagon and lead Kanju," he begins to explain. "Shikamaru and Sakura will take the sides and you will take the back so you can stay with Camila."

Kakashi looks over at Camila who is staring at him shyly.

"Don't worry; Denizu here will keep you good company," Kakashi says with a friendly smile showing with his one revealed eye.

Camila turns to me with an excited gaze as she smiles while biting her lower lip. I giggle with a friendly smile at her.

"All right, I'm heading to the front. Be on the lookout," Kakashi says to me as he brushes his hands on my chin and walks off to the front.

I smile and scoff at him as I watch him walk away. Camila turns to stare at Kakashi and then at me in curiosity. Kakashi gives the signal to Kanju and he makes the horses walk forward and follow Kakashi.

We reach the outside of the village after about a minute and begin to head on the trail which Shikamaru, Sakura, Kakashi, and I came on. I begin to look left and right into the dark forest, scanning and making sure there's no sign of anyone. As I'm turning my gaze to my left, I see Camila and notice that she is peering into the dark forest with fear in her eyes.

"Are you scared of being out here?" I ask her.

She turns to me in surprise and nods shyly.

"Don't worry about a thing, Camila," I say with a smile. "I won't let anything happen to you."

She looks at my warm smile for a moment with her big, sparkly dark brown eyes and then smiles happily.

"Thank you," she says in a sweet voice.

I'm very glad to hear her speak, so I decide to keep a conversation with her to keep her from being scared.

"So how old are you, Camila?" I ask.

"I'm five years old," she answers while holding up her open hand.

"And are you excited to see your parents?"

"Yeah, I miss them very much," she says while looking down. "I can't wait to be with them in our new home."

"I'm sure they miss you very much, too," I say.

She smiles at me while continuing to swing her legs slowly.

"What about you? Do your parents miss you too when you're gone?" Camila asks.

"Well, I actually don't have my parents," I reply while scratching my head.

Camila seems shocked to hear this.

"Why don't you?" she asks in curiosity.

"They died when I was very young…in a war."

"I'm sorry to hear that…" she says giving me a sad gaze. "That's why I don't like fighting…and with the war I hear my grandpa talk about at times…it makes me sad."

"I understand you completely," I say looking down as I continue to walk.

Camila looks at me and sees the sadness in my eyes.

"At least your parents died protecting you," Camila says in an effort to comfort me.

I gaze up at her in surprise.

"I'm sure you're proud of them," she adds with a sweet smile.

My surprised expression then turns into a warm smile at her.

"I am proud of them," I say. "Thank you, Camila."

She smiles happily and swings her legs as she giggles a bit.

"Do you and that man who's leading us have something special?" Camila asks with a curious and shy face.

"Hm? You mean Kakashi?" I ask her.

She nods, eager for me to answer.

"The way he brushed his hand under your chin is similar to how my mommy and daddy treat each other. Are you together like my parents?" she asks.

"Well, maybe not at that stage yet," I say with a chuckle. "But we do share the same feelings for each other like your mom and dad do for one another."

Camila widens her eyes in happiness as she giggles.

"I like you and Mr. Kakashi being together," she says with a cheesy smile.

I chuckle a bit at her statement.

"So do he and I," I say to her with a warm smile.

It's been more than a long while since we headed off from the village where Kanju and Camila lived. We're about half way back to the Leaf and it is still pretty calm. Everyone has been on the lookout as we try to move as fast as possible. Camila has given up on the effort of staying awake and has fallen asleep. I'm walking close to where she is in case she is about to fall from the bumpy ride.

"It's been awfully quiet," Sakura says to me as she walks on my left. "It's a good thing no trouble has come up; I doubt there will be."

"Well, let's not get too comfortable," I say peering around. "We can't risk letting our guard down…It's a little _too_ quiet…"

Sakura nods and walks back to her post. I adjust my katana strap on my shoulder and look at the ground.

'Wow…to think these young shinobi like Shikamaru and Sakura will be taking part in the war…' I think to myself. 'They shouldn't have to go through that…no one does…not even if you're a shinobi…' I continue to think as I look over at Camila.

I smile warmly at the sight of her sound asleep. As I'm looking back down toward the right of the trail, I notice something odd. There are parts of footprints on the trail that appear to be swept off.

'Someone tried to cover their footprints up…' I think to myself.

I let my gaze quickly follow where the footprints lead to and see that it's more than one footprint.

'It's more than one person…' I think to myself.

As I follow the many footprints, I see that they lead to multiple trees that are along the trail. I peer closer and see a clear string glisten in the moon light. I immediately take notice and react.

"Stop the wagon!" I say as I run to the front.

Kanju makes the horses stop and he and the rest look at me with confused looks on their faces.

"Why, what's wrong?" Shikamaru asks.

"We're walking right into an ambush trap," I say looking around for more clear strings. "There are trip wires around these trees…"

With that, I walk past Kakashi and the horses, a few feet in front of them. I crouch down and gaze at a wire glistening in the moonlight.

"A trip wire," Kakashi says in surprise. "A little more and we would have walked right into it, detonating who knows what."

"I have a feeling this is not what we should be paying attention to…" I say standing up and looking around.

We begin to hear the sound of leaves from the trees shuffling all around us. Suddenly, a kunai is thrown toward the ground on our right with a paper bomb attached to it. Kakashi quickly reacts and throws one of his own kunai, causing the one with the paper bomb to crash into another direction on a tree. It detonates and blows the tree into flames.

"My, my, surprising that you caught our decoy trap," we hear a man's raspy voice say from inside the dark forest.

"I can hear the footsteps of many," Sakura says.

"There's no doubt that there's more than one," I say as I look around.

A few seconds later, a man in dark clothing lunges at me from behind. I quickly dodge his attack and kick him hard on the back, sending him forward into a tree. A few shuriken are thrown at me from behind, but Kakashi pulls out a kunai and blocks them all.

"They used these wires as a decoy to think we were going into a trap," I say to Kakashi. "In reality, it's just wires connected to each other."

I grab a shuriken from the ground and throw it at the wires that are a few feet in front of us. Nothing happens after the shuriken cuts right through them.

"A clever gal, isn't she?" we hear another man say from the dark forest. "We chose our first target to eliminate well."

I listen to the sound of the voice and quickly throw a kunai with a paper bomb at the direction it's coming from. Two men jump out from a tree before the bombs detonates. The two men land a few feet in front of us.

"Where are the rest of you?" Shikamaru asks.

"You'll see soon enough," one of the men says with a grin.

"Watch out!" Sakura yells as she jumps in front of Kanju and blocks an attack from another man.

He jumps back from the impact of Sakura's block and is then sent flying into a bush by Shikamaru's high jump kick.

"They're trying to kill us off one by one," Shikamaru says sternly.

"They're also trying to use that tactic to confuse and distract us at the same time," Kakashi adds as he continues to look around.

Suddenly, two men lunge at us from the trees from both sides. Shikamaru dodges an attack and begins to fight him off. Sakura also dodges an attack and begins to fight, as do Kakashi and I. I begin to fight hand to hand combat with one of these bandits, blocking and attacking him. I see him throw a punch at me but I avoid his arm and push him to the side.

"Denizu?" I hear Camila say. "What's going on?"

I turn to her and see that she's standing close by the back of the wagon in fear as she gazes at us as we fight.

"Camila!" I say as I block a kick from the bandit.

I turn to her again and see that another man is about to throw a kunai with a paper bomb near her. My eyes widen in fear. I block the bandits punch and quickly kick him hard in the stomach. Not hesitating, I sprint toward Camila. The man throws the kunai and it lands next to her feet. I leap to her, carry her in my arms, and jump away with her right before the paper bomb detonates. The impact sends me and Camila flying forward into the forest, but I keep a grip on her as I embrace her. I turn my body to make myself crash into a tree branch back first to protect her. I grimace in pain after hitting it and landing on the ground on my feet. I fall down to my knees because of the pain and slowly let go of Camila as she stands on her own.

"Denizu!" she says as she begins to cry.

"Go…run and hide in a safe spot…" I say as I withstand the slight pain.

"I don't want to leave you!"

I look up and see a bandit come at us from behind Camila. I move her behind me and block his sword by grabbing his wrist, twisting, and breaking his arm by pushing it the opposite way with a strong blow of my elbow. The bandit yelps in pain and I kick him hard to the ground. I turn my gaze toward the wagon and see that Kanju wants to run toward us to get with Camila, but Shikamaru tries to stop him so he won't get hit by any of the bandits' weapons.

"Denizu, I'm scared!" Camila says as she clings to my leg.

I grab her quickly and carry her behind a bush, far from the fighting scene.

"Stay here and don't make a sound," I say to her as I sit her down. "I'm going to get your grandpa."

Before leaving, Camila takes a hold of my hand, causing me to turn to her in surprise.

"Please be careful, Denizu…" she says with teary pleading eyes. "Please come back…"

"Don't worry, Camila," I say with a warm, comforting smile. "I'll be back soon."

I give her a wink and quickly head off. A bandit jumps in front of me with a dagger and attempts to stab me. I jump back to avoid it and quickly lunge forward to knee him hard in the stomach. He coughs and I let him fall to the ground on his side. I hear Kanju yelp and I turn toward his direction; a bandit is about to hit him with a wooden club. I move in quickly and kick the bandit on the side, sending him to the ground.

"Come on!" I say to Kanju as I grab his wrist and run into the forest.

"Where's Camila? Is she all right?" he asks me in a panic.

"I have her hidden over here where it's safe," I say as I run and lead him to the bush Camila is hiding behind.

Kanju and Camila see each other and embrace in relief.

"Stay hidden and keep your eyes open," I say to them before running off.

I run quickly toward a bandit who is about to hit Shikamaru from behind. I stop the bandit's leg by blocking it with my knee and then elbow him in the face, breaking his nose. I turn my body and then kick him hard onto his back.

"Thanks," Shikamaru says as he finishes a bandit off with his shadow hold.

"How many of them are there?" I ask him.

"There's too many to count. We're trying our best to hold them off."

I turn my attention to Sakura who is fighting off one of the bandits. Kakashi has his hands full with four so I decide to give him a hand. I run toward one who is about to attack Kakashi from behind and punch him straight in the jaw. Kakashi and I stand back to back as more bandits surround us.

"Remember when we used to do this while in the ANBU?" I ask Kakashi.

"Do you still remember our maneuvers?" he asks as he blocks and kicks a bandit to the side.

"How could I forget them?" I say as I punch another bandit and knock him back to the ground.

"Maneuver 12."

"Gotcha."

We get each other's signal. I perform a few signs with him. He uses his chakra to create lightening around his hand which forms into the shape of a hound. I quickly turn and stand on his right as I exhale a stream of fire onto the hound. Once the hound is engulfed with fire, Kakashi makes it run toward the bandits that surround us in the circle. The hound runs into them one by one, striking them with lightening and engulfing them in flames. All of the bandits fall to the ground and the flames slowly go away, forming into steam.

"Flaming Lightning Hound," I say to him with a smirk. "Good choice."

He quickly moves me to the side and knocks a bandit hard to the ground.

"Keep your guard up," he teases.

I quickly grab his wrist and make him turn behind me as I kick a bandit straight in the torso and send him flying back on the ground.

"Likewise," I say to Kakashi as a witty comeback.

We stand next to each other and evaluate the situation.

"There's so many of them; I'm surprised they haven't attacked the wagon yet," Kakashi says.

"They won't destroy or cause it any damage," I say. "It's exactly what they're after."

"That's IT! Just take them down, even if it costs us the wagon!" we hear a bandit yell in frustrated anger.

"Oh, never mind then," I say as I get back in fight position.

About ten more bandits appear and they focus their attention on Kakashi and me. Kakashi and I stand back to back in ready position as the ten bandits surround us.

"Do you want to use any special maneuvers for these?" I ask Kakashi as I hold up two kunai ready in my hands.

"Using the Sharingan would be sufficient," he responds as he lifts his headband to reveal his Sharingan eye and with two kunai ready in his hands also.

"Agreed," I say as I activate my Sharingan.

With that, the bandits charge at us. Kakashi and I fight the bandits with hand to hand combat with our kunai, watching each other's backs. He and I endlessly kick and punch the bandits as well as block their attacks. Two jump up in the air to attack us from above. Kakashi quickly bends over and cups his hands together as I jump onto them; he launches me high upward in a backflip, causing me to kick both of the bandits in the face. Before landing, I slash both of the bandits in the torso and land on my feet. I land in a crouched position, allowing Kakashi to roll over on my back to punch and kick another bandit. I quickly stand and block two shuriken and then throw one of my kunai at the bandit. Kakashi and I continue to stand back to back.

"So far, half are down," I say to Kakashi as I duck to dodge a round house kick from another bandit and quickly stab him with the kunai.

"Three more now," Kakashi says as he punches a bandit in the face and sends him flying back with a hard kick.

I take one bandit down by punching him in the face and kicking him in the stomach, knocking him down to the ground. Kakashi takes another bandit down by flipping him over to the ground hard. We turn to see the last bandit of the group standing there, scared to see that Kakashi and I have laid eyes on him. Kakashi and I look at one another and nod. He and I run toward the bandit, jump up and kick him hard enough to send him flying into a tree. The bandit hits it hard enough to make a dent and is knocked unconscious like the rest of the bandits.

"Just like old times, eh, Kakashi?" I say with a grin.

Kakashi chuckles at my remark as he and I exchange fist bumps.

"You guys sure know how to work together," Shikamaru says as he walks toward us.

"I'm glad you both are the heads of the group," Sakura says as she throws an unconscious bandit to the ground.

"We had a lot of practice together," Kakashi says as he puts a hand on the back of his head and smiles through his mask.

"Practice that stuck," I say with a smile.

I then feel a sharp pain in my eyes. I grimace a bit and cover one of them. Kakashi sees this and puts a hand on my shoulder.

"What's wrong?" he asks in worry.

"I used my Sharingan to knock a handful of them unconscious," I say opening my eyes a bit.

"How many?"

"About six or seven. I couldn't do any more than that," I respond as I deactivate my Sharingan.

"Well, there's your limit," Kakashi says as he looks into my eyes.

I chuckle at his remark as I rub my left eye. We turn to see Kanju and Camila standing close by, a look of relief on their faces. I look at Camila and smile warmly at her and she returns it. Suddenly, a bandit appears some feet in front of them. I open my eyes in horror as he has a dagger ready to strike at Camila. In a split second, I am lying on the ground sitting up between Camila and the bandit, the dagger piercing through under my right shoulder. Kakashi and the rest stare with wide eyes. I had slid on the ground to shield Camila from the bandit's blow. I grimace in pain as I have a grip on the bandit's wrist that's holding the dagger. Camila stares in horror as she processes in what I have just done. I quickly make the bandit let go of the dagger's handle and push him back. He attempts to attack me again, but Kakashi lunges hard at him in lightning speed, sending him flying hard into a tree into an unconscious state.

"Denizu…" Kakashi says as he kneels down to me with a look of complete worry.

I pull the dagger out from under my shoulder and grit my teeth to withstand the pain. Blood gushes out and I feel it trickle down my torso.

"Denizu sensei!" Sakura says as she quickly kneels down in front of me. "Help me take her to softer ground, Kakashi sensei."

Kakashi quickly nods. He takes my left arm and puts it over his shoulder and uses his other arm to help me up. I grimace in pain with every bit I move my right arm. Kakashi leads me behind a tree and slowly helps me sit down and lean on it. Sakura kneels in front of me and sets her backpack of supplies down next to her and quickly begins to dig through it.

"I'll need you to remove her shirt, Kakashi sensei," Sakura says as she prepares an ointment.

Kakashi nods and kneels next to me on my left. I lift my left arm with ease but struggle with pain to lift my right. Kakashi begins to slowly and carefully lift my shirt up from the bottom. He tries to take it off of me as carefully as possible. I grit my teeth in pain as he manages to take my shirt off all the way and holds it in his arms. I am now only in my black tank top.

"Rip the right strap of her tank top," Sakura tells Kakashi as she gets cloths drenched with alcohol.

Kakashi is a bit taken aback from it, but he does it anyway in order for me to get treatment. He reaches for my tank top and carefully rips the strap, now revealing my black bra. I feel myself blush a bit as I grimace in pain but ignore it. Kakashi too blushes a bit at the sight of my bra, but shakes it off. Sakura pulls the tank top down from where Kakashi ripped it to fully expose my wound. She takes the cloth drenched in alcohol and is about to put it on my wound.

"Let her grip your hand; this is going to hurt her a lot," Sakura tells Kakashi.

Kakashi takes a hold of my left hand as I prepare to deal with the pain. Sakura places the alcohol drenched cloth on my wound and I twitch in pain as I grit my teeth, gripping Kakashi's hand hard.

"This is cleaning the wound out to prevent infection," Sakura explains as she gently rubs the cloth against my wound.

"It'd better be doing a hell of a good job…" I say through my teeth as I twitch and grimace.

After that, Sakura throws the bloody cloth away and takes a cotton swab and pours an ointment on it. She begins to apply it to my wound. She then places her bare hand over my wound and begins to heal it with her light green chakra.

"The wound is deep and needs to be healed like this to decrease its depth," Sakura explains. "The ointment was to help treat it as I heal it with my chakra – it should start to hurt less."

I begin to breathe a bit more calmly now and loosen my grip on Kakashi's hand. Sakura uses her chakra for about thirty seconds and then takes out a cotton pad to put over my wound for the bleeding. She then takes a long bandage and wraps it over my left shoulder to go well over my wound. She makes sure the cotton pad is well put as she finishes wrapping the bandage under my wound and secures it.

"You're all set, Denizu sensei," Sakura says with a smile as she looks over the bandage. "The wound should be fully healed by tomorrow."

"Thank you, Sakura," I say with a smile.

"Does it still hurt?" Kakashi asks with concern.

"Not a whole lot as before," I say moving my right arm a bit and slightly grimacing. "Help me put my shirt on, will you?"

"Sure," Kakashi says as he prepares my shirt.

He puts my shirt over my arms as I lift them up. He carefully pulls it down onto my torso as he sees me grimace slightly.

"Let's head back home," I say with a slight grimace as Kakashi helps me stand up.

Sakura nods as she finishes putting her supplies back in her bag. We walk back to the wagon with Shikamaru, Kanju and Camila. They look at me with relieved faces. Camila runs to me and hugs me. I look down at her in surprise.

"Camila, what's the matter?" I ask.

"I was worried about you…" she responds. "You jumped in front…to save me…and now you're hurt…"

"Hey, hey…" I say as I kneel in front of her. "I said I'd protect you and not let anything happen to you."

I give her a warm and comforting smile. Her surprised face turns into a happy one as her teary eyes show gratitude.

"Thank you, Denizu…" Camila says with a slight bow.

I giggle a bit as I pat her head and then stand up.

"Well, let's head on back to the Leaf village so we can get to safety," I say.

"Right," Shikamaru and Sakura say with a nod.

"Ready to head on out, Kanju?" I ask as I walk up to him.

"Yes," he says.

I smile and nod at him. Before passing him to go to my back post, he stops me and bows. I'm surprised at this and stare at him in wonder.

"Thank you, Denizu…" he says. "Thank you for saving my granddaughter…I will not forget it…"

I smile at him and place my hand on his shoulder.

"It's what I do," I say to him with a warm smile.

He stands up straight and returns the smile.

"Let's go, then!" Kanju says as he heads to his seat on the wagon to lead the horses.

Camila takes a hold of my left hand. I look down at her in surprise.

"Mr. Kakashi told me to hold your hand so we can walk with him in the front," she says with a cheesy smile.

I look over at Kakashi and see that he's avoiding my gaze as he stands a few feet in front of us.

"Did he, now?" I say smiling at Kakashi. "Well, let's not keep him waiting – we have to lead the wagon back to the Leaf!"

Camila giggles in excitement and we walk over to Kakashi. He looks over at us and smiles through his mask. Camila grabs his right hand with her left hand, making her be in between me and Kakashi.

"Let's go!" Camila says as she jumps up a little.

We begin to walk and Kanju leads the horses with the reigns.

"Hopefully Kurenai doesn't freak out about that wound," Kakashi says to me.

"Oh, crap…" I say with a smile and sweat drop as my eye twitches a bit.

Kakashi chuckles at my reaction, causing Camila to giggle happily. With that, we head back to the Leaf village safely, for real this time.


	21. Chapter 21

**!WARNING!**: **This chapter contains graphic adult material for mature audiences.**

Part 21

With Guy, Yamato, and Aoba also gone with Naruto, many missions have gone to the few jonin who are not busy with any other tasks. This is mostly me and Kakashi at the moment. He and I have been on long missions that have lasted a day or two, leaving us no time to spend together. Tsunade has given me orders be very careful, afraid that the Akatsuki might want to come after me. Kakashi has also been aware of this possibility and has cautioned me to be careful and even asked Lady Tsunade to let him accompany me on long-term missions. Even by leaving for a short-term mission I faced trouble. As much as she'd like to let Kakashi accompany me, she can't. She needs as many available jonin to perform multiple missions and tasks for her, especially with all the busy work of reconstructing the village and such. I reassure Kakashi, but he sends one of his hounds with me in case anything happens.

I'm currently walking through the village. I have just returned from a mission I left to do in the morning, and it is now sometime in the early evening. It's getting dark, but not so much to call it late. People are still out and the lights of some buildings and houses light the streets beautifully.

'Gosh…what a tiresome day…' I think to myself as I walk looking down a bit. 'I wonder how Naruto, Guy, Yamato, and Aoba are doing… I hope they're all right…'

I stop in my tracks as a small, beige dog wearing a blue cloth on its back appears in front of me, holding a small scroll in its mouth. It's one of Kakashi's dogs. I stand there, a bit puzzled as it sits there and stares up at me, wagging its tail. It places the small scroll on the ground and barks. I bend down and pick it up.

'A note from Kakashi?' I think to myself.

I open the small scroll, still crouching at the dog's level. To my surprise, I see that the scroll reads, "Follow me." I look at the small dog and see it begins to walk. I begin to follow it down the street and around a corner. We then reach a small clothing store. The dog stops and sits next to the entrance, stares at me, and then barks. I stand there at the entrance looking up at the store's sign.

"What are we doing here?" I ask.

I then feel the dog push his head against my leg, wanting me to enter the store. I walk in and see an older woman with light brown hair at the register of the entrance.

"Are you Denizu?" the woman asks.

"Yes…" I answer.

"Oh! Well, come with me!" she says as she pulls me away.

"H-Huh?" I say in confusion. "Wait, where are you taking me?"

The woman doesn't answer and simply leads me inside changing booth.

"Here, change into this," the woman says as she hands me an outfit in a dark plastic covering on a hanger.

"But, ma'am…" I say but don't finish because she's left and closed the curtain.

I hold up the outfit and sigh. Without much of a choice, I begin to change. To my surprise, it's a long, dark blue, short-sleeved summer dress. After changing, I fold my other clothing up and place my weapon pouches on top and katana over my shoulder with its sling and walk out of the booth.

"Don't you look stunning in that dress!" the woman says as she smiles at me, holding a box.

"Thank you," I say with a smile.

"Now here are your shoes," the woman says, handing me the box and then pulling up a chair. "There's no way you're going to wear that dress with those ninja sandals on!"

I look at her in surprise and then down at my feet. I've forgotten to take my sandals off.

"Oh, yeah," I say with a slight chuckle.

She takes my katana from me. I sit down and quickly change my sandals to some nice, comfy, black flats. The woman neatly puts all of my other clothing, sandals, and weapon pouches in a separate bag. I stand up, feeling a bit odd in this outfit.

"Great! You're all set!" the woman says with a smile as she hands me the bag of my clothing and begins to lead me to the front door.

"W-Wait, don't I have to pay first?" I ask her.

"No, it's been paid for already. Now, go on!" she says as she hands me my katana and hurries me out the store.

I stand outside in front of the store with a confused look, holding my bag of belongings. I then hear the small dog bark, and I turn to it. It gestures for me to follow, and I follow with a wondering look.

'This just feels odd…' I think to myself with a sweat drop, fixing my katana over my shoulder.

After a while, the dog leads me to a restaurant.

"What are we doing here?" I ask as I stop and examine the restaurant.

The dog barks, telling me to hurry and follow. I do so and walk inside. I approach an old man and a young man standing behind a podium inside. The old man sees me and walks over to me with the young man.

"You must be Denizu!" the old man says with a smile. "Please, my grandson will take your belongings."

I hand the young man my bag and katana with a blank look.

"Please, come this way," the old man says as he gestures for me to follow.

The small dog also follows as we walk through the many empty tables in the restaurant. I look around, a bit puzzled as we walk through the dimly lit restaurant. The old man leads me to brown, sliding doors in the back area. He opens them and we walk in. I look up, surprised to see Kakashi sitting at the small table. He looks over at me and gets up from his chair. I stare at him, examining his appearance, and notice that he's wearing an elegant, dark green dress shirt and black dress pants, still obviously wearing his mask, minus the head band.

"Thank you," Kakashi says to the old man as he stops in front of me. "I'll take it from here."

The old man nods with a smile and walks out of the small room, closing the sliding doors after him. Kakashi holds out his hand for me to take. I do and he leads me to the table. He pulls out one of the chairs at the table and I sit down. He pushes my chair in, making sure I'm comfortable. I look at the table covered in a burgundy tablecloth and see the white, lit candle in the middle. Sterling white plates are set in front of us with forks, spoons, and knives, as well as wine glasses. Kakashi walks to the cart with food and grabs the bottle of wine from the bucket of ice. He begins to pour some into our wine glasses. After doing so, he closes the bottle, sets it on the table, and then heads to the food cart. He picks up two plates with coverings and places one on my large sterling plate and does the same to his. He takes the tops off, revealing a plate of delicious food: three pieces of sushi, four pieces sashimi, one piece of prawn, three pieces of veggie temura, half a portion of chicken teriyaki, and steamed rice. I stare in amazement at the mouth-watering food. Kakashi places the tops on the bottom of the food cart and then sits down on his chair.

"You look beautiful in that dress," Kakashi says, fixing himself in his chair. "I knew that blue would suit you very well."

I stare at him in wonder. He then turns to his small dog in surprise.

"You did well," he says to his dog. "Thank you."

The dog barks as it wags its tail before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Kakashi turns to me and notices my look of wonder.

"I take it you have many questions," he says fixing the collar of his shirt.

"Kakashi…" I begin to say. "H-How did you manage to do all this?"

"Be a little more specific," he says jokingly.

"First of all, how did you pick this dress without knowing my dress size?"

"I had Kurenai help me out with that one."

"How did you manage to get this whole restaurant to ourselves?"

"The owner repays me for saving his granddaughter once on a mission."

"So you didn't pay to clear it all?"

"I only paid half price for the food and your outfit as well as my own," he answers, looking at his dress shirt. "I don't usually wear this type of clothing, but I wanted to for this."

I stare at him with a gaze of amazement.

"I really want this to be our alone time since we haven't had it in a while," he says, pulling down his mask. "That's why I got us this private salon and had the restaurant cleared. I don't want to be hiding my face and not eating calmly with you."

I giggle lightly at his last remark.

"Well, at least now I can see how you really eat without that mask," I say jokingly, grabbing my fork and beginning to pick at my food. "Even when we do make out, I don't even see your face most of the time because my eyes are closed."

Kakashi chuckles.

"Well, this is how I'm making up for it," he says, smiling warmly at me.

I look up at him as I stick a piece of chicken in my mouth. Chewing my food, I stare into his warm, thoughtful eyes and enjoy his smile.

"I love to see your whole face when you smile," I say after swallowing the piece of chicken.

He stares at me for a bit with that same smile before picking up his fork and beginning to eat his food. I stare back at him with a loving smile as I bite my lower lip and reach for my glass of wine.

It's been more than an hour, and Kakashi and I are now leaving the restaurant. The owner has handed Kakashi my belongings. We are standing in front of the restaurant, saying our goodbye for the night. Kakashi stands close to my left, making sure I stand up straight due to my tipsiness.

"Thank you very much for your service," Kakashi says with a bow to the old man. "We really do appreciate this favor of yours."

"It was my pleasure," the old man replies with a bow as well.

"We really had a great time," I say with a bit of a slur in my speech and bubbly tone. "Everything…was awesome!"

The old man looks at me and chuckles.

"It seems that she enjoyed the wine very much!" he says.

"Yes, she really did enjoy it," Kakashi says turning to me as I smile with an aloof expression. "Well, we'll be off! Thank you once again! Have a good night!"

With that, Kakashi begins to lead me down the dimly lit street as we wave goodbye to the old man. Kakashi allows me to take a hold of his left arm, helping me keep my balance.

"Wow, tonight was great, Kakashi," I say with my bubbly tone. "I feel so great."

"Is it because of me organizing this dinner for us or is because of the wine?" Kakashi asks jokingly.

"Is it fair to say both?" I answer with a playful tone.

Kakashi chuckles at my answer.

"I hope you did enjoy the dinner I organized," he says. "I don't know if I did a good job or not."

"Kakashi, no, you did a great job!" I say looking at him, again with my slurred speech. "Best dinner I've ever had!"

"Is that the wine talking?"

I chuckle at his remark and he does the same. With a sigh, I lean my head on his shoulder.

After a bit, we reach two streets: the one going to the left is where Kakashi's apartment and the one going to the right is where Kurenai's apartment. Kakashi begins to walk toward the right.

"Kakashi, wait," I say stopping and pulling him back. "I don't want to go home yet…"

He looks at me in a bit of surprise.

"Why not?" he asks.

"I want to still be alone with you," I say in a pleasing tone.

"Where do you want to go?"

"How about we go to your place?" I suggest. "It's been a while since I've been there."

"Are you sure?"

"It's closer to here, anyway. I don't want to walk much more…" I say swaying a bit.

Kakashi looks at the street that leads to his house and thinks for a bit.

"You're right; my place is right around that corner…" he says. "You also look like you're going to collapse."

"You think so?" I ask with a drunken grin, slowly tilting to my right.

"Yeah, come on," Kakashi says as he wraps his free arm around my waist to help balance me. "You need a place to sit down and rest."

Kakashi then leads us down the street and around the corner. We head toward the front entrance of his apartment. Kakashi sets the bags down, takes his keys out, and opens the door. I begin to tilt toward the left and he quickly holds me up straight. He grabs the bags and leads us inside, using his foot to close the door after us. We walk down the apartment hallway that's lit by small wall lamps. I manage to trip a bit over my own foot but Kakashi manages to keep me up. I begin to laugh quietly at myself.

"It's a good thing I don't live on a higher floor," Kakashi says. "Otherwise, it would be quite a task to take you up the stairs; you're even tripping over your own feet."

"Hey, who was the one who bought the wine?" I say in defense with a smile.

Kakashi chuckles as we arrive in front of his apartment door.

"Well, you got me there," he says as he unlocks the door.

Kakashi walks us inside, slowly kicking the door closed behind us. He lets go of me so he can put my belongings on the couch. I feel myself slowly tilt to my left again. Kakashi turns around and sees this. In a panic, he quickly runs over to me, holding me up in his arms.

"I'm not _that_ drunk, Kashi…" I say to him. "I'm just…uncoordinated right now."

"Uh-huh. Uncoordinated; that's exactly it," he says with a slight chuckle.

I hug Kakashi and lay my head on his chest. He wraps his arms around me as well and rests his head on mine. We stand there in silence for a few seconds, enjoying this feeling.

"It's been a while since I've hugged you like this," Kakashi says in a low voice. "I've missed your touch…"

"I've missed yours, too…" I say in a low voice.

We pull apart a bit and look up into each other's eyes. I examine his dark right eye and his scarred Sharingan eye, seeing love and want in them. He sees me glance at his mask for a bit, taking it as a sign of it being in the way. He then reaches for it and pulls it down, revealing his handsome face. I examine every detail of his face as I place my hand on his cheek. I lean into his face, smelling a bit of wine in his breath. He also leans into my face as we slowly close our eyes, our lips meeting. We begin to kiss slowly, building the mood up. I move my hand from his cheek to the back of his neck. He moves his hands around my hips, caressing them gently. I reach for his shirt and begin to unbutton it. We continue to kiss as I finish unbuttoning his shirt fully. He begins to lead us toward his bedroom, not pulling away from our kiss. I walk backward into his bedroom as he keeps his arms around my hips and waist, making sure I don't fall back. I feel us heating up as our kissing continues. I pull the sleeves of his shirt down and he assists me by quickly pulling his shirt off and tossing it to the floor. Pulling apart from him, I sit on the bed and kick my shoes off. He takes his shoes off as well and his socks. I begin to climb on to the bed toward the pillows on the other end. Kakashi quickly follows after me as he takes his mask off and tosses it to the floor. I sit up on my knees and begin to take my dress off. Kakashi begins to unzip his pants and takes them off, revealing his dark green boxers. I continue to pull my dress off, revealing my black bra and panties. I sit in order to pull my dress all the way down, which Kakashi helps me with. He tosses my dress to the floor and gently pushes me down on the bed, kissing me. I place my hands on his chest, feeling the long scar across his torso. I pull away from his mouth and begin to kiss the top part of his scar. He looks down at me and finds it affectionate and pleasuring. I place my hand on the back of his neck and kiss my way up to his mouth. He supports himself over me by placing his left hand on the bed and caressing my side with his right. I feel him reach down to my panties and pull them off slowly and then begin to caress my thigh. He then moves his hand behind my back, reaches for my bra strap, and unhooks it. I pull the bra off myself, feeling myself blush a bit. He sees my blush and smiles down at me with affection and then begins to kiss me again. I begin to caress his face as we kiss passionately. He moves his right hand up to my stomach and then to my left breast, beginning to massage it gently. He then begins to kiss me down my jawbone, to my neck, to my collarbone, and finally to my chest. He begins to kiss my left breast, licking my skin lightly. I bite my lip gently, loving the touch of his lips and his hands. I then move my leg and bump it into his, signaling that I want to move on. He understands and then begins to take his boxers off. I spread my legs to allow him to be in between them. Kakashi takes a hold of himself and then looks at me.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asks.

"Kakashi…" I say looking deep into his eyes. "You and I both know for a fact that this is something we've wanted for so long. I don't think we should hold back now."

Kakashi is a bit surprised as he looks down at me as I smile warmly. He then leans down and kisses me on my forehead.

"Don't worry; I'll be careful," he whispers softly into my ear.

With that, Kakashi positions and begins to insert himself inside me. I feel myself twitch a bit at the touch of his manhood. I look down in between us and notice how big he is. Kakashi presses the tip gently against my womanhood and looks down at me.

"Can I continue?" he asks.

I bite my lip and nod. He notices the hesitation in my face as I take a hold of his arm with my right hand.

"If it hurts too much, just tell me to stop," Kakashi says.

I look into his eyes with a smile and he returns it. He then slowly pushes himself inside me. At first, I don't feel much from him inserting the tip, but once he slowly pushes more inside of me, I feel the pain. Kakashi keeps moving himself inside me slowly. I press my hand on his left arm as I gasp a bit in pain. Kakashi looks down at me in concern. I shake my head and urge him to continue. He hesitates but continues, seeing the want in my eyes. After a few slow pushes, he is fully inside me. I let out a sigh of relief, having overcome the pain. Kakashi stays still for a bit, wanting me to get used to him inside me to avoid any more pain. Wanting him to proceed with the next action, I pull his head toward my face and kiss him. He pulls back a little in surprise and sees me smile sheepishly with a slight blush.

"I want you to start now…" I say a bit shyly.

Kakashi's surprised look then turns into a loving smile as he chuckles lightly at my shyness. With that, he begins to move his body back, pulling himself out of me a bit, and then moving his body forward, pushing himself back inside me. At first, it's a bit odd to feel, but after a few more of these very slow thrusts, I get used to it. Kakashi then notices that I'm ready, and then begins to thrust in and out at a faster pace. I feel both of our bodies move at a nice rhythm as we begin to feel the pleasure. The sensation of feeling our bodies' warmth against one another and the waves of pleasure with every thrust engulfs us. I place my right hand behind Kakashi's neck and he moves his head down to my face and we begin to kiss passionately. My left hand caresses his hard abdominals as he thrusts. Kakashi places his right hand on my right cheek and begins to caress it as we kiss. I move my right hand from the back of his neck into his hair, gently pressing my fingers into his strands of silver, soft, messy hair. He enjoys this as he lets out a low groan in between our kiss. He decides to pick up the pace and thrusts faster. After many of these faster thrusts, I begin to feel the more intense waves of pleasure. I stop kissing Kakashi and instead get caught up in the pleasurable feeling, closing my eyes a bit and moaning lightly. Kakashi enjoys the sound of me moaning and continues to thrust. He holds himself up over me and begins to grunt as he closes his eyes slightly. The warmth of our bodies and our movement causes us to sweat a bit and breathe heavily. After many of these thrusts, Kakashi and I begin to moan lightly. We look into each other's eyes as we pant. I press my fingertips more into his scalp with my right hand as my left hand touches his abdominals. Kakashi places his right hand on my hip, increasing his thrusting pace a bit as he bites his bottom lip. We both begin to feel much more pleasure than before.

"Kakashi…" I moan as I close my eyes and tilt my head back.

With that, I feel myself reach my climax. Kakashi immediately stops thrusting after I relax. We both stay still, panting and trying to catch our breath. I look up into Kakashi's eyes and see so much affection. I return the gaze before he leans down and kisses me passionately again. He breaks away and pulls himself out of me. He lays next to me on my right and we both look up into the ceiling through the dimly lit room. After a few seconds of catching our breath, Kakashi sits up, reaches for the folded covers at the end of the bed, and pulls them over us. I place my head on his chest as he wraps his arm around my waist from under me, pulling me closer. I place my left hand on his hard stomach and close my eyes.

"I love you, Kakashi," I whisper to him.

Kakashi kisses me softly on the top of my head and caresses my hair.

"I love you too, Denizu," he whispers back.


	22. Chapter 22

Part 22

I open my eyes at the sound of birds chirping outside the window. I squint my eyes, trying to look around and sigh lightly as I feel Kakashi's arms around me.

"Good morning," I hear Kakashi say.

I look up at him with a sleepy expression as he moves his arm under me.

"Good morning..." I mumble as I bury my face into his bare, broad chest.

He chuckles as he smiles down at me.

"Still not much of a talker in the morning, huh?" he asks jokingly.

I look up at him and scoff with a smile. We both lay there in silence.

"So we finally did it..." I say in a low, shy voice.

Kakashi is a bit surprised at what I just said, but then knows what I am referring to.

"Yeah… I guess we did," he says with a slight chuckle in his voice.

"Surely I wasn't the best you've had, considering that it was _my_ first time..." I say shyly.

"Well, actually, you _are_ the best I've had because it was my first time too," he admits.

I look up at him in complete surprise.

"You mean... Ever since I disappeared...you haven't had a serious relationship?" I ask in disbelief.

"Nope; not one," he answers stretching his arms out a bit. "There was no one else I wanted to be with other than you."

My eyes widen a bit in shock as I look into his sparkling eyes as he smiles. He puts one of his hands on my cheeks and caresses it.

"Although I will admit that I had particular books to keep me busy..." he adds with an embarrassed smiled.

"The books Guy mentioned that you tried to stop him from mentioning?" I ask with a smirk. "At least you had some sort of entertainment."

"You didn't have any other guy? Not even a short term relationship?"

"There was no one else I wanted to be with other than you," I reply with a warm smile.

He is a bit astonished but smiles back, leaning in and kissing me on the forehead.

"I hope you're not upset with me not allowing myself to reach my climax last night..." he says.

"Not reaching your climax?" I ask trying to figure out what he was referring to.

He looks at me, waiting for me to figure it out. I remain silent, trying to remember what he is talking about. My face then slowly changes into a surprised one as I begin to blush. Kakashi notices this and begins to smile.

"Why...why didn't you?" I ask a bit shyly.

"I don't want you getting pregnant right now," he answers. "Don't get me wrong; I'd love to have a child with you. I just don't want to risk having you in that condition at the beginning of a war."

"I understand. I thank you for thinking about that and caring," I say as I kiss him softly on his lips.

He wraps his arms around me and lifts me onto him a bit as we begin to kiss. I place my hands on his face and caress his hair as he begins to feel around my hips. We stop at sound of something near the window. We turn to the window and see a messenger bird sitting at the windowsill. It spreads its brown and black wings as it walks to the side.

"A message this early?" Kakashi says as he turns is head toward the clock on his night stand and sees that it reads 10:36AM.

"We _are_ jonin with duties, you know," I say as I lift myself up a bit and smile down at him.

He lifts his head up in a chuckle. I giggle at him as well, admiring his face in silence. He notices my look and stares back at me in wonder.

"What?" he asks in a soft voice.

"I love your beautiful smile," I say. "I just love seeing you with a happy face."

He stares at me for a bit before smiling warmly at me. He lifts himself up toward my face and begins to kiss me again, trying to get on top of me.

"Come on, there's a message for you," I say in between kisses, trying to calm him down.

He chuckles and kisses me once more before getting out of bed. He takes a small towel from his drawer and wraps it around his waist and walks to the bird on the windowsill. I sit up and pull the covers up to my chest as I watch Kakashi pull the small scroll from the bird. Kakashi walks back toward the bed and begins to read the note as the bird flies away.

"It's from Tsunade," he says. "She needs to see me as soon as possible."

"Did something happen?" I ask a bit worried.

"She didn't specify. Knowing her, it could be something very serious or something very simple," Kakashi says as he heads over to his drawer and begins to pull out his clothes.

I rub my eyes a bit and yawn.

"You can still stay in bed and sleep some more if you'd like," he says as he quickly places his clothes on the bed and heads to the bathroom.

"I'll stay in bed until you finish showering so I can shower next," I answer as I lay back down. "I'll be heading to Kurenai's to check up on her."

"I don't think she's worried," he says as he quickly heads into the bathroom and starts the shower.

I look at his direction with a questionable expression. I decide to shake it off and try to sleep for a bit.

'Poor Kurenai... I hope she isn't worrying about my whereabouts...' I think to myself as I sigh.

I begin to recall my night with Kakashi, acknowledging that he and I went all the way.

'Wow... It's interesting to think that he and I didn't have anyone else throughout the time we were apart...' I think to myself in amazement. 'It's cute to think about...'

My thoughts are interrupted by the shower turning off in the bathroom. Kakashi steps out and heads for the clothes on the bed and begins to dress.

"I have to hurry," he says putting his clothes on quickly. "I don't want her getting upset with me. She tends to be pretty angry when she needs to be."

"I can't really picture that," I say in wonder.

"Well, it's best you don't," he says jokingly.

I giggle at his remark. He puts his jonin vest on after placing his headband on.

"Getting out of bed?" he asks as he places his weapon pouches on his pants.

"In a bit. Why?" I answer a bit confused.

"So I can take one more look at you before I leave," he says with a grin.

I gasp with a smile in surprise.

"Kakashi!" I say. "You pervert!"

I hurl a pillow at him, which he easily blocks as he chuckles. He then walks over to me as I try to hide under the covers.

"Okay, I'm leaving," he says as he leans down toward me, wanting a kiss.

I poke my head out and lean into his face and peck him on the lips.

"Be careful and behave," I say to him jokingly.

"I will," he responds with a smile.

He pulls his mask up and walks out of the bedroom. I smile as I hear the door of the apartment open and close. I sigh and stretch a bit before getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom.

After a quick shower, I quickly get dressed, get all of my stuff, and head to Kurenai's and my apartment.

I arrive at our apartment door and unlock it. I walk in and see Kurenai in the kitchen, washing a dish.

"Denizu!" she says happily, putting a dish down in the sink. "It's about time you get home!"

"Sorry about that, Kurenai," I say with an apologetic smile as I close the door behind me. "It was a long night."

"With Kakashi, I can imagine..." she says with a smirk.

I look at her with a questionable expression as I place my belongings down.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I suppose you and Kakashi had a great time, eh?" Kurenai says with a cheesy smile.

"Kurenai..." I say, giving her a suspicious smile. "Did you have anything to do with what Kakashi planned last night?"

"I didn't _really_ have anything to do with it..." Kurenai says. "I only knew about it and promised to keep it a secret. Kakashi did everything else!"

"So you know how far we went last night?" I accidentally say.

I freeze up, aware of what just I said. Kurenai looks at me in surprise and understands what I'm talking about.

"You and Kakashi..." she begins to say. "It's about damn time!"

I laugh at her remark.

"No, seriously! I was waiting for that to happen between you two! In fact, I hoped it would happen last night! The both of you needed to get it over with!"

"Oh, Kurenai!" I say to her with a smile.

She laughs and goes back to the dishes in the sink as I head to my bedroom with my belongings.

"I made some breakfast earlier. Do you want me to heat some up for you?" Kurenai asks.

"Um, no, I'm fine," I say as I walk out of the room. "I'm not hungry."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm actually going to patrol the village right now."

"Awww, I wanted to know more about last night," Kurenai pouts.

"Maybe later," I say with a smile and scoff.

"But that's a long time from now..."

"I'll see ya later, Kurenai!" I say as I head out the door while smiling at her.

I head out of the apartment and begin to stroll through the village. I look around and see many people are repairing buildings such as shops and homes. A little girl is running to her grandmother in joy after buying an ice cream cone.

'I wonder how Naruto is doing...' I think to myself. 'I hope he's doing well with Guy, Aoba, and Yamato...'

I fix my katana strap over my shoulder and gaze down at the ground in thought.

'This war that has been set to begin is going to be chaotic...' I think to myself with a worried frown.

"Denizu sensei!" I hear a familiar voice call out from behind me.

I stop and turn around in surprise and see Sakura running toward me.

"Good morning, Denizu sensei," she says as she stops in front of me.

"Good morning Sakura," I say with a smile. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm well. I'm just looking for a way to rest from all the work I've been doing for Lady Tsunade."

She then turns her attention toward a small tea parlor to our left.

"Hey! How about we have some tea and chat?" she says with a smile.

"Sure, I don't mind," I answer.

We turn and head into the small tea parlor. Inside, we see an elderly couple sitting at one table and a man and woman sitting together at another. Sakura and I head for a small table for two people and sit down. She sits across from me.

"So what has Lady Tsunade had you doing that's got you so tired?" I ask Sakura as I fix myself comfortably on the chair.

"Moving boxes and boxes of medical supplies into a warehouse," she answers. "We're stocking up for the war."

"Ah, I see..."

"I'm happy to be doing it though. It's for the well-being of our shinobi."

I look at her smiling face and return the same look.

"What will you have this morning?" a young woman with an apron comes up to our table and asks.

"I'll have some green tea," Sakura says.

"I'll take some chai tea," I say.

"I'll be right back," the young woman says with a smile after writing our order down and walking away.

"I'm really glad you're working hard for our shinobi," I say to Sakura. "It's especially important to do as much as we can to prepare for the war."

"Everyone is doing their best to do whatever they can," Sakura says.

The young woman comes back and places the teas on our table.

"Thank you," Sakura and I say to her.

"If only all of this could be avoided..." I say in a low tone, gazing into my cup of tea.

Sakura takes a sip from her tea and looks at me in wonder.

"There's no point in war," I say. "The only thing war brings is bloodshed, hate, and even more war. I've seen the results of a war...it's not a good thing at all... I wish for this want of war in humanity to end..."

Sakura stares at me with a look of comprehension and seriousness.

"You and Naruto are very similar," Sakura says.

I look up at her in surprise. She is smiling warmly at me. I gaze into her eyes and then smile warmly back at her.

It's been well over half an hour. Sakura and I have spent it at the tea parlor talking about different matters from our dislikes and likes to our personal lives. Right now, we are leaving the parlor to head for a walk.

"So you and Kakashi sensei have been really close since you both were young?" Sakura asks.

"Yes," I say with a nod. "I looked up to him; I still do."

"That's so cute!" Sakura exclaims with a smile.

I smile with her and laugh a bit. We then hear a hawk screech from above us. Sakura and I look up as a hawk drops a small scroll toward me. I catch it and look at it in surprise.

"It's from Lady Tsunade," Sakura says after examining the scroll.

I nod as I open the scroll and read it to myself.

'Denizu, I have received news that Naruto, Guy, Aoba, and Yamato are in great need of help. They are currently three miles west of the gates of the village. You are the only one I have for help at this moment. Head there now.'

My eyes are wide in worry as I clench the scroll.

"I have to go," I say to Sakura.

"Is something wrong?" she asks in surprise.

Without answering her, I hold up a hand sign and disappear in a puff of smoke. I reappear outside the gates of the village and sprint as fast as possible toward the west direction as Lady Tsunade ordered.

'What could have happened?' I think to myself in worry. 'Did they get ambushed on their way back here? Why would they be coming back anyway?'

I head into the forest and leap on to the tree branches.

'They probably came back in a hurry after facing some danger...'

I glide through the air swiftly as fast as I can.

"Whatever the reason, I have to get there..." I say to myself, gritting my teeth.

Meanwhile, Kakashi has just finished running an errand for Lady Tsunade. He leaps on to the windowsill of Kurenai's kitchen and sees Kurenai drinking some tea.

"Kakashi!" Kurenai says in surprise. "Using the front door is out of your style, huh?"

"It beats having to go through all the trouble of walking into the apartment building without a key," Kakashi says jokingly as he crouches on the windowsill. "Is Denizu here?"

"She left to patrol the village some while ago. You know how she is when it comes to her duties."

"Yeah, I know."

"Oh! Now that you're here!" Kurenai says as she quickly gets up and heads to her bedroom.

Kakashi looks at her in surprise as he continues to crouch on the ledge of the windowsill.

"If only I could have given it to you last night so you could have given it to Denizu," Kurenai says as she walks back to Kakashi, gazing at what seems like a picture frame. "I made the frame myself."

She holds it out for Kakashi to grab. He takes it and is surprised: it's a picture of me and him cuddling when we fell asleep together that one night we went out with Guy.

"Kurenai...this is..." Kakashi says as he gazes at it in surprise.

"It's a gift for you and Denizu," Kurenai says as she smiles warmly at Kakashi.

Kakashi gazes at the picture again.

"You should go find her so she can see it too," Kurenai says. "I really want to see her reaction when sees it."

"I'll do that," Kakashi says with a smile as he hands her the picture. "I'll be back with Denizu soon!"

With that, Kakashi waves goodbye to Kurenai and heads into the village. He leaps from rooftop to rooftop, scanning the streets in search of me. After about a minute or two, he spots Sakura. She is putting some boxes into a storage area with the help of Konohamaru and his two friends. Kakashi decides to ask Sakura if she has seen me.

"Hey, Sakura," Kakashi says as he lands some feet away from her.

"Kakashi sensei," Sakura says in surprise as she turns to him. "Can I help you with something?"

"Have you seen Denizu?"

"I had some tea with her almost an hour ago. She then got a note from Lady Tsunade."

"A note? Do you know what it said?"

"No. Denizu sensei only excused herself and immediately disappeared."

"Hm... Anything else happen?"

"Denizu sensei looked really worried after opening that note," Sakura replies with a serious look. "I asked her about it, but she immediately teleported somewhere."

Kakashi is a bit alarmed.

'That's odd... It must be something urgent that she left in such a hurry without explaining...' Kakashi thinks to himself.

"Is something wrong, Kakashi sensei?" Sakura asks, interrupting his thoughts.

"I'm going to see Lady Tsunade about this," Kakashi answers.

"I was going to see her anyway, so I'll go too," Sakura says.

With that, Kakashi and Sakura leave and head for Lady Tsunade's office. They jump from rooftop to rooftop. Sakura notices that Kakashi is in a hurry and begins to think that something is wrong.

"Is something bothering you, Kakashi sensei?" Sakura asks as they continue to leap.

"Something just doesn't feel right..." Kakashi replies as he gazes ahead sternly. "Denizu only reacts immediately if something is drastic."

Sakura then recalls that I clenched the scroll as my eyes widened after reading the note.

"I have to ask Lady Tsunade what she sent Denizu to do that caused her to take immediate action," Kakashi says.

They reach Lady Tsunade's office and enter through the window. Lady Tsunade is in the middle of looking through some papers and is surprised to see them in such a hurry.

"Kakashi...you seem worried. Is something wrong?" Lady Tsunade asks putting some papers down.

"What did you have Denizu do?" Kakashi asks. "Where did you send her?"

"Where did I send her?" Lady Tsunade responds with a confused look. "I haven't sent her to do anything."

Kakashi and Sakura look at her in surprise.

"But Lady Tsunade, I witnessed one of your messenger birds drop a message to Denizu sensei not too long ago," Sakura says.

"I haven't sent one out all day," Lady Tsunade says. "I'll be leaving for a conference with the other Kage right now. I don't have any other tasks for the jonin but to make sure everything is in order throughout the village."

Just at that moment, Kiba and Akamaru and Lee walk in.

"Lady Tsunade!" Kiba and Lee say as they walk in, Akamaru dragging what seems to be part of a snake in his mouth into the room.

"What are you doing with that?" Lady Tsunade asks.

"We found this spying serpent outside the village gates," Lee answers.

Kakashi looks at the serpent and immediately recognizes it. Lady Tsunade does as well.

"That's one of Kabuto's serpents!" Lady Tsunade exclaims. "I recognize it well since he has inherited Orochimaru's abilities."

"He's after Denizu," Kakashi says.

Everyone looks at him in surprise. Kakashi then performs a few hand signs and summons Pakkun and the rest of his tracking dogs.

"I need you to help me find Denizu quickly," Kakashi says to them.

"Take us to the place she was last seen," Pakkun says.

"Sakura," Kakashi says turning to her. "Lead us to the place you saw Denizu leave."

"Right," Sakura says with a nod.

"We'll find Denizu," Kakashi says to Lady Tsunade. "You focus on meeting with the other Kage."

Kakashi, the hunting dogs, and Sakura are ready to leave out the window.

"We're coming too!" Kiba says. "There's a chance you may need our help."

"Fine. Let's go!" Kakashi says.

With that, they all leave by heading out the window. Once arriving at the spot where Sakura last saw me, Pakkun and the dogs begin to pick up on my scent.

"Now that you have her scent, split up," Kakashi says to his dogs.

"Akamaru and I will head out to the northern village gates," Kiba says.

"I'll go with one of your dogs to the southern gates," Lee says.

"And I'll go with one of your dogs to the eastern gates," Sakura adds.

"All right. I'll be heading toward the main gates in the west," Kakashi says. "Pakkun, you'll be coming with me."

Pakkun nods. With that, everyone splits to their directions.

"So what's the story, Kakashi?" Pakkun asks as they leap from tree branch to tree branch.

"Sakura said Denizu had received an urgent message from Lady Tsunade about something," Kakashi begins to explain. "But Lady Tsunade just confirmed that she did not send her out for anything. What's more, Kiba and Lee found a spying serpent, one of Kabuto's, outside of these west gates. I have a feeling Kabuto is after Denizu."

"He must have waited until the right moment to strike," Pakkun adds.

"It makes sense. Kabuto must have sent the serpent to spy on Denizu. Once he saw that she was alone, Kabuto took action and sent her the fake message. He knew that Denizu would take immediate action with whatever request he put in that message, especially if it was something urgent and important."

"What exactly would Kabuto want her for?"

"Denizu was Orochimaru's first target in terms of taking her body," Kakashi says as they glide through the air. "He wanted her for her abilities. He gave her a cursed mark that night he kidnapped her. His plan was to further improve her abilities and power in order to transfer himself into her body."

"Kabuto wants to carry on his plans," Pakkun says.

"Most likely," Kakashi says with a stern gaze ahead. "Whether if it's the same plan or not, Denizu is in grave danger."

Pakkun then stops and sniffs on a tree branch and then continues to lead Kakashi.

'I just hope I'm not too late...' Kakashi thinks to himself in worry.

I have reached an open area in the forest. I stop there and look around.

'This is where Lady Tsunade has sent me,' I think to myself. 'But there's no sign of Naruto or the others anywhere...'

I then sense something around me.

'Something's not right...' I think to myself.

"Well, you came a lot faster than I expected," I hear someone say from behind me.

I turn around and see a hooded man with glasses and silver hair standing some feet away from me. A serpent is curling around his body, hissing at me. I quickly pull out my katana from it's strap.

'I recognize those yellow eyes...' I think to myself. 'And that serpent...'

"Do you know who I am, Denizu?" he asks.

"A lot of your features do seem familiar," I say to him with a stern look. "You remind me of a man I despise and hate so much."

He chuckles at my statement.

"So you have a hate for my former master, Orochimaru," he says with a smirk.

'I was right...' I think to myself. "Your master? Hard to believe he had followers."

The man gives me a bothered look.

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" I ask.

"My name is Kabuto Yakushi. I am Orochimaru's former disciple."

'That's no surprise...' I think to myself.

"After Sasuke killed Orochimaru, I have chosen to follow in my master's steps," Kabuto continues. "Only I want to surpass him in abilities."

'Sasuke took him down, too?' I think to myself. 'He probably found out Orochimaru wanted to take his body...'

"You are going to help me do that," Kabuto says with a smirk.

I look at him in confusion.

"The Cursed Seal on your neck..." he continues. "Orochimaru branded you with it long ago. I'm here to make you officially mine."

I give him a threatening gaze as I reach for my katana. Suddenly, I feel something tug at my feet. I look down and see a large serpent curling around my body, making me stay still.

"What...is this?" I say through gritting teeth as I struggle to move.

"With that curse seal," Kabuto begins to explain. "I can control you once I get a hold of you with one of my binding serpents."

Kabuto then appears behind me, pushes some of my hair aside, and places his hand on the cursed seal on my neck. I try my best to move, but I can't budge. Kabuto uses his chakra to activate the curse seal, making me tense up. My eyes widen as I feel the power of the cursed seal and the flame-like marks spread all over my body. I begin to choke up as I drop my katana on the ground, feeling my body go numb at the pain that's shooting through my body. After the black marks spread completely all over my body, I black out.


	23. Chapter 23

Part 23

Kakashi and Pakkun arrive at an open area of the forest. Kakashi looks ahead and sees something familiar on the ground. He quickly heads toward the object, Pakkun following after him.

"This is Denizu's katana," Kakashi says as he picks it up. "She'd never leave it like this... She's in trouble..."

"She was here not too long ago," Pakkun says after sniffing the area. "She wasn't alone."

"Do you recognize the scent?" Kakashi asks as he pulls the katana with its strap over his head.

"It's no doubt that of a serpent."

"Damn it," Kakashi says with a grimace. "Where did they head to?"

"Straight ahead. You should be able to catch up. But let's get some back up."

"I can't let Kabuto get away," Kakashi says. "The more time we delay, the more he gets away with Denizu."

With that, Kakashi quickly heads toward the direction Pakkun pointed out.

"Be careful, Kakashi!" Pakkun says with a worried tone.

Kakashi sprints into the forest and quickly leaps on to the tree branches.

"I can't let this happen...not again..." Kakashi says to himself with a stern look. "I can't let you out of my grasp again..."

He lifts his headband from over his left eye, revealing his Sharingan.

'Knowing Kabuto, I'm going to have to put up a good fight,' Kakashi thinks to himself.

Kakashi moves faster. He looks ahead and sees a hooded figure, carrying someone in in his arms.

'There they are,' Kakashi thinks to himself.

With that, Kakashi takes out a few kunai and throws them at Kabuto's back. Kabuto has already sensed Kakashi and dodges his kunai by quickly jumping to the side. Kakashi lands some 15 feet in front of Kabuto, giving him a hard glare. Kabuto returns the look with annoyance.

"Kakashi..." Kabuto says sternly. "You have no business here."

"I have every reason to be here," Kakashi answers with a serious tone. "You, on the other hand, should not have any reason to be sneaking around."

Kakashi observes me in Kabuto's arms and sees the black markings of the curse mark spread on my body.

'He's already activated it,' Kakashi thinks in worry. 'It looks like he's going to forcefully activate through the levels in order to have control over her.'

"I simply came to claim what's rightfully mine," Kabuto says as he holds me up in his arms a bit.

"She does not belong to you," Kakashi says now growing angry. "Release her now."

"She means a lot to you, too, doesn't she?" Kabuto says with a smirk. "Orochimaru mentioned quite a bit about you and Denizu. Not many details, but I've come to put the pieces together recently: she's your lover."

Kakashi is growing more and more bothered.

"I hoped to not run into any trouble once getting a hold of her," Kabuto says as he moves some hair from my face. "But I should have known that someone like you would catch on to my plan, especially when you know Denizu so well."

Kakashi watches Kabuto stare down at me with a smirk.

"I honestly don't have time for you right now," Kabuto says turning to Kakashi.

"Then just hand her over to me and leave," Kakashi warns with a stern gaze.

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen. I have many plans with Denizu on my mind."

After saying that, Kabuto licks the side of my face with his elongated tongue while looking at Kakashi with an evil smirk. Kakashi grimaces and clenches his fists in anger. He quickly takes out a kunai and moves toward Kabuto. Before reaching him, however, someone tackles Kakashi from the side. Kakashi quickly lands on his feet, sliding some ten feet away. He looks up and sees a tall, muscular man with orange hair wearing a beige robe. Kakashi senses someone from behind and quickly dodges an attack by jumping up high in the air and landing some feet away from them. He sees the one who just attempted to punch him from behind: it's a slender man with dark brown hair wearing the same beige robe as the other man. Kakashi observes both of them closely and sees that they have black eyes and their faces are emotionless.

'He's controlling them...' Kakashi concludes in his head. 'Knowing his methods, these must be reanimated men he killed off.'

"I'll have to leave you now, Kakashi," Kabuto says as a wooden, cylindrical box appears next to him in a puff of smoke. "I have stuff to get to."

With that, Kabuto places me inside the cylindrical box, closes it, and has another one of his large, muscular reanimated henchmen carry it. They turn around and begin to head away. Kakashi begins to quickly head toward Kabuto but is quickly stopped by the two henchmen from before. Kakashi throws some kunai at them, but they quickly block them. The henchmen charge at Kakashi and begin to throw punches and kicks simultaneously at Kakashi. The kicks and punches are fierce and fast, making Kakashi cautious.

'Damn it,' Kakashi thinks to himself as he jumps away from them. 'These guys are no joke. I can't afford to lose any time with them. Kabuto will get away for sure if I don't get rid of them quickly.'

The tall, muscular orange haired man performs some hand signs. Suddenly. Snakes appear from the ground around Kakashi. The other slender man performs some hand signs too and also summons some larger and different serpents. They head for Kakashi, who is quickly dodging all of the snakes, cutting their bodies into pieces with two of his kunai. He implants some kunai with paper bombs into the snakes and jumps away to avert the explosion. While still high in the air, the orange haired henchman appears above Kakashi and body slams him hard into the ground. Kakashi grimaces but quickly gets up and heads farther from them. He performs some hand signs and prepares his chidori, running into the orange haired guy. To Kakashi's dismay, a large snake intercepted the attack, leaving the henchmen unharmed. The dark brown haired henchman throws some shuriken at Kakashi from behind. Kakashi quickly pulls his arm out of the snake and dodges the shuriken, which hit the now dead snake that falls to the ground. Kakashi jumps away from them for a moment and in order to observe where Kabuto is at the moment. He manages to spot him and his henchmen who are carrying the barrel in which I'm inside; we are about half a mile away by now.

"Kakashi sensei, watch out!" someone calls out.

Kakashi turns his attention back to the fight and sees the orange haired henchmen coming at him with a hard punch. Kakashi, with his Sharingan, has foreseen his attack and dodges it. He then elbows the henchmen in the face and kicks him hard in the stomach, sending him flying some feet away. Kakashi looks at the direction where the voice came from and sees Lee, Kiba and Akamaru, Sakura, and Pakkun running into the fight to help.

"Where's Denizu sensei?" Sakura asks in worry.

"Kabuto is carrying her off," Kakashi answers, still keeping his gaze at the henchmen. "I have to get to Denizu before it's too late!"

"You can't go without backup!" Pakkun says. "If we don't get rid of these two before going after Kabuto, it'll just cause more difficulty for us."

Kakashi clenches his fists in anger, knowing that the only thing he can do to move on after Kabuto is to defeat these two henchmen.

"Fine, if that's what it's going to take," Kakashi says with a grimace.

"I'll stay hot on their trail," Pakkun says as he quickly heads toward the direction where Kabuto is heading.

The dark brown henchman attempts to stop Pakkun by charging at him, but Lee quickly stops him by kicking him hard from above into the ground. Pakkun manages to pass and quickly runs. The orange haired henchman turns his attention to Pakkun and is about to go after him. Kakashi appears behind him with his chidori activated and pierces his hand through the henchman's back. Kakashi pulls his arm out and lets the man collapse to the ground and turns his attention toward the other henchman with his chidori still activated. From behind the dark browned man, Sakura appears and throws a punch, but he dodges it. Lee attempts to kick him from below but misses. Just as the henchman is paying attention to Lee, Kakashi quickly appears in midair in front of the man with his chidori and pierces through his chest. Kakashi pulls his arm out and lands on his feet. The henchman collapses hard on the ground. By now, Kakashi is breathing heavily and sweating from the two uses of his chidori.

"Are you all right, Kakashi sensei?" Kiba asks.

"I'm fine," Kakashi quickly answers, standing up straight. "Let's go after Kabuto."

With that, Kakashi quickly runs toward the direction Kabuto headed to. The rest follow after him in worry for his condition. They all quickly leap from tree to tree, gliding through the air until they finally catch up to Pakkun. Kakashi is ahead with Pakkun some five feet in front of Sakura, Kiba and Akamaru, and Lee.

"Are they far from us?" Kakashi asks.

"Not too far," Pakkun answers. "They shouldn't be any more than a mile away."

Pakkun looks at Kakashi and studies him.

"You've used your chidori more than once already, haven't you?" Pakkun says.

Kakashi knows where he is going with this and just doesn't answer.

"Using it so hastily isn't good; you very well know that," Pakkun continues.

"I had to in order to pursue Kabuto," Kakashi says in defense. "If I hadn't, I'd be wasting time and letting him get away with Denizu."

"Kakashi, how do you expect to get her back from Kabuto if you're using too much of your chakra already?"

Kakashi stays quiet. Pakkun awaits his answer as they continue to leap from tree branch to tree branch. Kakashi then senses something.

"Everyone, split up!" Kakashi says out loud.

They all listen and jump in different directions. A few seconds later, the trees they were near explode. They all land on other tree branches and see that it was paper bombs. Pakkun looks up ahead.

"He's out in the open area over there," Pakkun says.

Kakashi quickly heads over there with the rest following right behind him. They reach the open area and stop. Some twenty feet away, they see Kabuto and some seven of his henchmen all standing near him, blocking the cylindrical box I'm in. Kakashi glares intently at Kabuto, who returns the gaze with an evil smirk.

"It looks like you won't give her up that easily," Kabuto says. "It's a good thing I brought extra back up with me, too."

The henchmen are basically copies of the first two that Kabuto summoned earlier.

'Damn...' Kakashi thinks with a sweat drop on his forehead. 'We're out numbered... This is only going to give more time for Denizu to move into the levels... We have to act fast...'

"It looks like I'm going to have to make sure you're taken care of," Kabuto says. "I can't let you interfere with my plans."

Kakashi charges toward one of henchmen and the rest follow after him. After hitting and jumping over one of the henchmen, Kakashi heads over toward the cylindrical, wooden box I'm in. He is quickly intercepted by one of Kabuto's large snakes and has to jump back some feet to avoid its attack. It turns into rapid and intense fighting, ranging from serpents and different types of jutsu. Kabuto has his serpent attack Kakashi from behind as a distraction. Kakashi quickly dodges it and throws shuriken at it, causing it to twitch in pain. Kabuto then throws some kunai at Kakashi while his back is turned. Kakashi barely manages to dodge the kunai and is cut by one of them on his shoulder. He grimaces from the pain from the cut and the pain from his Sharingan eye.

"I see that you're wearing your eye out with the use of that Sharingan," Kabuto says to Kakashi. "You also seem to be running low on chakra. That serves to my advantage."

Kabuto looks at Kakashi with an evil smirk. Suddenly, a serpent comes out of the ground with a paper bomb attached to its end. Kakashi is surprised and moves away, but not fast enough; the impact of the explosion sends him flying back to the ground. He rolls on to his side and gets up by supporting himself on his knee with his elbow. By now, even Lee and the others are struggling to fight off Kabuto's henchmen clones. Kakashi notices this and evaluates the situation.

"We're losing chakra, Kakashi sensei," Lee says as he blocks a punch from one of the clones while having trouble breathing.

"Our chakra seems to be decreasing at a certain rate," Sakura adds with struggle.

"You're all being affected by the abilities of my serpents," Kabuto begins to explain. "The serpents you see slithering about and attacking you have the ability to absorb chakra. This can be done by biting the opponent or by being at a close range."

'So that's why he keeps summoning them,' Kakashi thinks to himself. 'With so many, we can't keep our attention to just one snake. With so many, not only is our chakra drained faster, but it is also being drained easier because we're too busy fighting.'

"Damn it..." Kiba says with a grimace.

"What should we do, Kakashi sensei?" Lee asks as his body trembles a bit.

Kakashi watches the scene in deep thought as he kneels on one knee. His face is scratched up from dirt and his mask is ripped a bit right under his left Sharingan eye.

'I'm going to protect them with my life,' Kakashi thinks to himself with a stern look. 'I'll save you as well, Denizu, even if it means I might not make it out of this battle alive.'

"You're taking much too long!" Kabuto says with a smirk.

Kabuto forms a serpent out of paper bombs and sends it after Sakura, Lee, Kiba and Akamaru. Kakashi's eyes widen in panic as the serpent slithers closer and closer to them.

'I have to use it,' Kakashi thinks to himself.

Kakashi activates kamui in his Sharingan eye and looks at the serpent. Just before the paper bomb serpent goes off, Kakashi sends the explosion into another dimension. Everyone is surprised at the sudden disappearance of the explosion. Kakashi breathes heavily as he sweats, dropping to his hands on the ground.

'I'm almost out...' Kakashi thinks in his head before glancing at Lee and the rest. 'And they're almost out too...'

Kakashi closes his left eye as he pants slowly. Kabuto sees that they are all weakening slowly and smirks.

"You're use of the Sharingan is finished," Kabuto says to Kakashi. "I'll just use another paper bomb serpent to put you all out for good."

As Kabuto uses some hand signs, something is heard from behind him. He stops his hand signs in surprise as he turns to the cylindrical box I'm inside of. It begins to shake for a moment before I forcefully escape from it, sending pieces of the box flying in different directions. I am kneeling on one knee as my arms are spread out to the sides. Slowly lifting my head up, I then stand up straight. Everyone stares at me in complete shock; I have transformed into the second level of the cursed seal. The color of my skin has turned a dark-grey and my hair has grown longer and turned into a dark blue. A dark, star-shaped mark is spread across the bridge of my nose. I open my eyes, which are dark-grey in color, except only my mutated Sharingan that's glowing blood-red in color. My eyes then land on Kabuto. He gives me a slight smirk.

"It seems I'll be able to use you to finish them off," Kabuto says to me.

I continue to stare blankly at him. In a split second, I quickly appear in front of him. Kabuto is stunned as he looks into my eyes and sees the different Sharingan formation.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Kabuto asks.

"I didn't belong to Orochimaru..." I say to him in a serious tone. "And I certainly don't belong to you."

I quickly perform a few hand signs and inhale air. Kabuto quickly jumps back before I exhale a stream of fire at his direction and dodges it.

"Attack!" Kabuto orders his henchmen clones.

The clones begin to head toward me from all directions. I hunch forward as black bat-like wings come out of my back. I fly upward into the air, causing the clones to miss. They look up and see a stream of fire heading toward them. Only a few of the seven move fast enough to avoid the fire, the rest burning. I watch from high up in the air as the other few head toward me in different directions as they perform different hand signs. Suddenly, a giant serpent is summoned. I find myself staring right into the face of this huge serpent as it glares at me with its golden eyes. Its large fangs are exposed with a huge hiss. Kakashi sees this fight is getting more dangerous and decides to lead Lee and the rest away from there.

"Lee! Get everyone far away from here!" Kakashi says with a tired voice.

"Kakashi, what about you?" Pakkun says as he approaches Kakashi.

"I'll be fine. Just get them to safety."

"But Kakashi–"

"Do it now, Pakkun!" Kakashi says with a grimace as he puts a hand on his side.

Pakkun stares at Kakashi with an unsure look. After a few seconds, he turns and leaves.

"Come on, guys! Follow me!" Pakkun says to Kiba and the rest.

They quickly leave the scene, Kakashi standing there and watching them go. Once he sees them leave for sure, he turns around and sees that I have summoned Susano'o to battle with the giant serpent.

'I'm going to have to use the Evil Sealing Method on her,' Kakashi thinks to himself. 'I don't know if she's even in control of herself right now.'

Kakashi then looks around and notices that Kabuto is nowhere to be found.

'He must have made a run for it,' he thinks.

The serpent then hisses in pain. Kakashi looks up at it and sees that my Susano'o has cut through the serpent with its katana. The serpent then disappears in a puff of smoke, but the three clones of henchmen are still left. I discontinue my use of my Susano'o and instead fly toward them. I perform a few hand signs and exhale some fireballs at them. The clones dodge them but the fireballs continue to pursue them and catch them off guard. Once they are hit by the fireballs, they are consumed in the flames. They collapse on the ground, motionless. All of the dead henchmen clones then dissolve into the ground. I land on the ground and stand there, looking down at the ground in deep thought. Kakashi sees this chance to approach me. As he continues to walk toward me, he feels himself weaken. He stops and collapses on the ground. I turn around in surprise and see him.

"Kakashi!" I say in a panicked voice.

I fly over to him and begin to transform myself back to my normal form, except for my bat-like wings. I hold his head up with my left arm and caress his face with my right hand. Tears begin to form in my eyes as he grimaces in pain.

"Kakashi..." I whisper in a scared tone.

"Well...you didn't completely lose it after all," he says jokingly in a weak voice. "And you've got wings."

I scoff with a smile as I look at my wings and begin to retract them back into my body. I wince and grit my teeth a bit.

"Does it hurt a lot?" Kakashi asks with worry.

"Just a little," I say with a reassuring smile, trying not to make him worry.

We stare at each other for a moment in silence. The sound of the leaves bustling in the wind surrounds us.

"You came after me..." I say in a soft voice.

"I had to... I couldn't lose you again..." he says with a loving gaze in his eyes.

I stare into his eyes as tears pour out of mine as I have a small smile on my face. I then embrace him and begin to cry softly.


	24. Chapter 24

Part 24

It's been over two days since Kakashi has been in the hospital. His chakra levels were very low and he has a few minor cuts and bruises and really bad body aches. He has decided he wanted to use the sealing method to help me gain control of the curse seal, but I told him it won't be necessary. My mutated Sharingan's abilities have managed to gain control of the seal. He is relieved to know but is still going to be Kurenai found out about me being kidnapped, she nearly lashed out at me instead of asking if I was all right. Luckily, Lee and Kiba held her back as I hid behind Sakura.

Earlier today, I had spoken with Mizuki about her post in the war. She explained that she will serve in the back up medical unit, and she will be heading out to Kumogakure first thing tomorrow morning. I'm currently at the hospital, walking to the room Kakashi is in, with Kurenai at my side. She has made Kakashi some nice warm soup for lunch. I head for the door and slide it open, allowing Kurenai to walk in first. I look inside and see Kakashi lying on the bed, enjoying the sunlight that's coming in through the window. He looks over at us and is pleased to see us here. After going in, I slide the door closed.

"How are you doing, Kakashi?" Kurenai asks as she walks over to the left side of his bed.

"Better than before, that's for sure," Kakashi answers, sitting up on the bed.

I walk over to the right side of his bed, lean in and begin to place my hand on his forehead.

"What has the doctor said? Any fevers? Other injuries?" I ask as I continue to examine him.

"Denizu, you checked up on me in the morning; I doubt anything will change for the worse at this rate," Kakashi says with a sweat drop.

"I'm just making sure you're all right," I say flicking his forehead hard. "You got yourself into a lot of trouble for me!"

"And you..." Kurenai says as she leans forward over the bed and flicks me on the forehead too. "You had me worried to death after I heard you were kidnapped!"

"I was fine, really..." I say rubbing the spot she flicked with a pouty face.

"Says the one who was trapped inside a box!" Kurenai continues to nearly yell at me. "And you grew bat wings!"

"Hey, I feel a bit self-conscious about that..." I say with my arms crossed.

"I'm so glad I heard everything from Sakura, Kiba, and Lee; had I heard about it from somewhere else, I would have made a scene in front of everyone!"

"Please...don't ever..." I say with a shutter, imagining pregnant Kurenai in full pissed off mode.

"Well, the soup was great," we hear Kakashi say, interrupting our argument.

We look at him in surprise and see that he has finished the whole bowl of soup. He's just sitting there, his mask still on his face. Kurenai and I stare at him in wonder.

"How?" Kurenai says with a twitch in her eye. "How is it that you eat so quickly? It's as if you just eat right through your mask!"

"Please, don't lash out at me, now," Kakashi says with a sweat drop, holding his hands up in innocence.

"I think you should calm down..." I say with a sweat drop, holding my hand up in plead at Kurenai.

Kurenai stands still, closes her eyes, and inhales slowly and deeply. She holds in the air before exhaling out slowly. Kakashi and I watch her as she still has her eyes closed, waiting to make sure she's calm.

"It's a nice day, isn't it?" Kurenai says with the calmest smile.

"Yes...I agree..." I say giving her a watchful look.

"So what's the news on the war?" Kakashi asks turning to me.

"We've received word from Lady Tsunade that she wants all of the medical supplies and weapons transported to Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning this afternoon," I respond. "Shinobi will follow and leave tomorrow morning in order to complete the ninja forces of the Allied Shinobi nations."

"So I guess we'll be leaving tomorrow," Kakashi says.

"I'll be leaving today with the medical supply and weapons unit," I say after shaking my head to the sides. "I have to report to the Kage in order to report to them what capabilities Madara has in terms of the Sharingan. They need that information as soon as they can."

"Then I'm coming with you," Kakashi says as he begins to get out of bed.

"Kakashi, you have to make sure you get better," I say putting my hand on his shoulder.

"I'm feeling perfect," Kakashi says. "I can't leave you with Kabuto still out there."

"He's not coming after me anymore. He no longer needs me, now that I've gotten rid of his controlling chakra in the cursed seal after he awakened it."

"Regardless of that, I'm still coming with you," Kakashi says turning to me with a serious gaze.

I look into his eyes and see that he won't change his mind.

"You both look like a married couple," Kurenai says out of the blue.

"You had to say that, didn't you, Kurenai?" I say.

"Sorry!" Kurenai says with a smile and sweat drop.

With that, Kakashi gets permission from the doctor to leave after confirming that he is fully recovered. Kakashi and I drop off Kurenai at her apartment and say our goodbyes. After that, Kakashi and I head to the Shinobi Forces Unit to meet with Shikaku Nara.

"Shikaku is in charge of forming the shinobi forces into units for the war," I say to Kakashi as we walk through the halls of the building. "He is doing a damn good job so far, considering that he was given this task so suddenly."

"Leave it for Shikaku and his wits to complete a task like that," Kakashi says.

"Kakashi! Denizu!" we hear someone say from behind us.

We turn and see Shikaku.

"I've just received word from the medical and weapons units are getting ready to leave at the front gate," he says. "Denizu, you need to meet them there so you can leave with them."

"Yes," I say with a nod.

"I'll be leaving with her and the medical and weapons units," Kakashi says.

"That's fine. It's best that you leave soon too in case Lady Tsunade has an important task for you, Kakashi," Shikaku says after nodding.

"All right; thank you, Shikaku," I say. "Kakashi and I will head for the front gate. Good luck."

Shikaku nods and Kakashi and I teleport to the front gate of the village. There, we see Sakura and Tenten observing the supplies being moved into large wagons.

"Sakura, Tenten," I say walking up to them.

"Denizu and Kakashi sensei," they say as they turn to us.

"Is everything in order?" I ask looking around.

"The last few boxes of medical supplies are being loaded," Sakura replies.

"Same with the boxes of weapon supplies," Tenten says. "We should be leaving in a minute or two."

"Good," I say with a nod. "Go run final checks and make sure everything is going well."

"Yes," Sakura and Tenten say with a nod before heading toward the wagons.

"Wow, giving out orders, I see," Kakashi says to me.

"As one of the highest ranked ninja here, I must make sure everything is fine before our departure," I say. "Which reminds me..."

I turn to look at Kakashi. He notices my serious and stern gaze.

"Kakashi...we are going into a war..." I begin to explain. "We must do whatever we can in order to help our comrades. I'm referring to our posts in the war... We may or may not be together in the same unit. I want you to come to terms with that."

"I have," Kakashi says. "I've known that since the announcement of the war."

"Now that you've acknowledged that..." I continue to say. "Please just accept the positions we are put in. If I'm in a different unit you're in, that's it – we are where we are assigned."

"I'm glad the both of us have come to terms with that," Kakashi says. "I trust that you'll take care of yourself and your team."

"And I trust that you'll take care of _yourself_ and _your_ team," I say to him with a smile.

We stare at one another in acknowledgement, glad that we have accepted these terms.

"Everything is set and ready to go," Sakura says.

"Great," I say turning to her and Tenten with a confident smile. "We're off!"


	25. Chapter 25

Part 25

We finally arrive in Kumogakure; it's in the middle of the night. Kakashi and I are led to what is the Raikage's headquarters up in the tallest mountain. Darui, the Cloud ninja with light vanilla-colored hair and dark skin, is leading us down a hallway to the office where the Kage are in.

"Many of the Kage are excited to meet you," Darui says as he continues to lead us. "Having an Uchiha here is something that they didn't expect."

"Believe me, I've had that a lot from people," I say.

Darui looks at me with a small smile before opening the door of an office. Inside, the Kage are sitting at a round table. They turn their attention to me as Kakashi and I head over to them.

"Ah, Denizu," Lady Tsunade says with a smile as she stands up and walks over to me. "We've been expecting you."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," I say with a slight bow.

"And you've brought Kakashi," Lady Tsunade says turning to him. "Two Sharingan users is even better."

"Please, take a seat," the Raikage says to me and Kakashi, pointing to two empty chairs.

"Thank you, Raikage," I say as Kakashi and I head over to the chairs and take our seats.

"So this is the mysterious Uchiha we've been hearing quite a lot about," a short, old man says from across the table as he observes me. "You're young and don't look like much of a skillful kunoichi."

"Tsuchikage," a woman with long, red hair and a blue outfit says to the old man. "Please, do show some kindness to her."

"I've heard a lot about you, Tsuchikage," I say. "The stories don't match up with the character."

He is surprised but smirks.

"I like her already," the Raikage says while grinning at the Tsuchikage.

"Anyway, let's begin what we planned," Lady Tsunade says.

She turns to me and I nod.

"I am Denizu Uchiha as you all already know by now," I begin to say. "This man who claims himself to be Madara Uchiha is no doubt a powerful opponent. With his high level Sharingan, he is capable of many abilities..."

"Excuse the interruption," a young man with red hair says. "But when I confronted Naruto at the inn after the Kage Summit was attacked by Sasuke and his group, I remember you were blindfolded. Am I mistaken?"

"No, you are not. After our encounter with Madara," I say looking at Kakashi, reassuring him that I will not mention anything that Madara informed us about. "He activated my mutated Sharingan."

"Mutated Sharingan?" the Raikage says in confusion, everyone also confused.

"Using his Tsukuyomi, Madara activated my mutated Sharingan, which I do not know much about."

"But how was he aware of your mutation?"

"He obtained that information before killing my parents," I bluntly say.

After this, everyone is surprised and quiet. They stare at me, feeling the anger in my voice.

"I am still not familiar with what abilities my mutated Sharingan holds," I continue. "But it works similarly like the regular Sharingan."

"Understandable," the Tsuchikage says.

I look at him and nod.

"From my observations and experience with Madara, he has complex Sharingan abilities," I continue. "One ability is the Space–Time Migration Jutsu; this jutsu allows him to teleport himself, anyone, or anything else to another destination or into a pocket dimension."

"So that's what he used at the Kage Summit," the Raikage says.

"This technique's characteristics are similar to the Fourth's Flying Thunder God Technique, as it is also a time and space manipulation technique, but Madara's version seems to be much more versatile," Kakashi adds. "Similar to my Mangekyō Sharingan technique, Kamui, his version is a swirling pattern centered upon his right eye. However, instead of teleporting the targeted component, this technique's effect acts as an attractive force, both visibly drawing the target inwards and distorting their form until they disappear. Unlike Kamui, this technique requires Madara to make physical contact with his opponents, leaving him vulnerable as he cannot be intangible when doing so."

"I take it that you've confronted Madara before," Gaara says to Kakashi.

"I have encountered him before when he was under the alias and character of 'Tobi' as one of the members of Akatsuki," Kakashi responds.

"What other abilities should we be aware of?" the woman with long red hair, who I observe is the Mizukage, asks.

"He has the potential of using Susano'o, also known as the Tempestuous God of Valor," I answer. "It is the third ability granted by the Mangekyō Sharingan after awakening the abilities in both eyes. It creates a gigantic, humanoid being that surrounds the user. As the strongest technique granted to those that have acquired the Mangekyō Sharingan, it is the user's guardian deity, but at the same time, it causes extreme pain to the user after a long period of using it."

After saying the last sentence, Kakashi looks at me in surprise. He recalls me being able to use Susano'o. I decide to ignore him and continue.

"Like the other techniques granted by the Mangekyō Sharingan, the user's eyes and body are strained while using Susano'o because it consumes a large amount of the user's chakra. Susano'o is formed through the materialization of the user's chakra and as such differs in appearance as well as color between users. Despite the impressive defensive capabilities Susano'o has, the protection it grants its user is not absolute. Even though it envelopes and anchors the user, the user can be thrown out of the upper half of Susano'o by manipulating the substance under their feet. This is information that's valuable when confronting Madara if he uses Susano'o, which I believe he will."

"Are getting all of this down?" the Raikage says to his assistant who is writing down as much as she can.

"Also, a sufficiently strong blow will still result in damage, especially during the technique's developmental stages," I continue. "The only known ways to attack the user while Susano'o is active, is either to draw the wielder out of the technique and then attack, bind and restrict its movements, or to break the defense with overwhelming force. Susano'o users are also vulnerable to attacks which don't actually deal blows to it, such as strong lights and sounds, that can also impair their ability to sustain Susano'o."

"Judging by all of this information, you yourself are able to use Susano'o, correct?" the Tsuchikage says.

"That is correct," I say. "I've fought with Madara before."

Everyone is surprised by this.

"Some years back, I was confronted by a man who offered me to join the Akatsuki," I explain. "I didn't know who he was until Madara revealed that it was him when he used his Tsukuyomi on me. When I had denied his offer, we had battled fiercely – fiercely to the point we both used our Susano'os."

"What was the outcome?" Lady Tsunade asks.

"It was a draw, really," I answer. "We exhausted each other so much that we had to escape the battle."

Kakashi is surprised at what I said.

"You never told me about that part..." Kakashi leans into my ear and whispers.

"Not now, Kakashi," I whisper back to him.

"Thank you for coming to report this information to us, Denizu," the Mizukage says to me with a smile. "This information is very helpful for us."

"You're most welcome," I answer.

"You are dismissed," Lady Tsunade says to me and Kakashi.

We nod and walk out of the room, escorted by Darui. I feel Kakashi's stern gaze as he walks on my right; I try to ignore him.

"Where are we heading to now?" I ask Darui.

"You've come a long way to get here and have given valuable information that we need," he answers as we continue to walk down the hallway. "I'll be leading you to your bedrooms. Though it may be difficult to find two bedrooms right now, especially with many of our rooms being filled with loaded supplies."

"It's fine... We can share a room," Kakashi says without looking at me or Darui.

"Uh, okay..." Darui says giving Kakashi a questionable look.

'He's upset...' I think as I turn my eyes to Kakashi.

After turning into another hallway, Darui leads us into a bedroom. He takes out a key and unlocks the door.

"Well, here's your bedroom," Darui says as he hands me the key. "Please do relax for tomorrow. Have a good night."

"Thank you, Darui; have a good night as well," I say to him with an appreciative smile.

He nods with a smile and then walks away. I enter the room and Kakashi enters after me. There's a large, simple but decent bed in the middle of the large room. The bathroom is to the left side of the room past the large dresser. Kakashi closes the door after him as I walk over to the bed and sit down. Kakashi stands a few feet in front of me, his arms on his sides. He looks at me with seriousness in his eyes, but I decide to avoid his gaze and instead begin to take my ninja sandals off.

"You know I'm not going to ignore it," Kakashi says, finally interrupting the silence.

"You're gonna have to," I say placing the sandals under the bed.

"I'm not going to," Kakashi says sternly. "Why didn't you tell me about what the use of Susano'o does to you?"

"I didn't think it mattered," I say taking my katana off and placing it on the bed.

"Of course it matters! It consumes a large amount of your chakra and causes you extreme pain!" Kakashi says with a louder voice. "How can that not bother me? How can't it bother you?"

I look down to the floor and sigh.

"Kakashi..." I say in a calm tone. "I know what I'm doing when I'm using Susano'o... I know the costs. That day Madara confronted me and we battled, he told me all the details of the Susano'o... After finding out about it, I was surprised. Like the cursed seal I have, I pledged to only use Susano'o to protect my loved ones and when I was in great need of it. When I battled Madara those many years ago, that was the most I've ever used it."

I look up at Kakashi and look into his worried eyes. He then walks forward and kneels in front of me, taking my hands into his.

"Kakashi..." I say in a surprised tone as he places his head on my thighs. "What's wrong?"

"Denizu..." he says in a soft voice.

"What is it, Kakashi?" I ask now a bit worried. "Come on...you can tell me..."

Kakashi sighs and looks up at me. I'm surprised to see his mask pulled down and tears in his eyes.

"I'm afraid of losing you, Denizu..." he says softly, gazing at me with love in his eyes.

My eyes widen in surprise as I look into his. I feel tears form in my eyes as I am frozen, still processing in his words.

"Oh, Kakashi," I say as I hold him close to me. "Please, I don't want to see you like this."

"I'm sorry, it's just that... I've lost so many people who were close to me in my life... I thought I lost you once... With this war... I don't want to lose you for real..."

"It's all right, Kakashi..." I say caressing his face. "As long as we both know we love and support one other, that should keep us strong in the battlefield. That's what should help us make it through the war, leading us to wait for each other in the end of it."

Kakashi looks inspired by my words and a smile spreads across us face. He leans into my face and kisses me passionately; I return it with just as much love.

"I love you, Kakashi," I say as we place our foreheads together and stare into each other's eyes.

"I love you, Denizu," Kakashi says.

Kakashi and I continue to gaze into one another's eyes as we smile lovingly. We caress each other and enjoy our quiet night together before the war. We both have come to conclude that we're prepared to enter this war to fight for our comrades –and for our love.


	26. Chapter 26

Part 26

It's early in the afternoon. The shinobi from the Leaf Village arrived in the morning, as well as the shinobi from all the Allied Nations. Shikaku has finished organizing the shinobi into units. Kakashi has been appointed to being a captain of one of the units that is to be prepared, but he will know soon when all of the units are officially assembled.

I am walking with Kakashi through the hallway of the Raikage's headquarters. We have been called in to their office to get new supplies.

"Why do you think they had us leave our headbands in our room?" I ask Kakashi.

"Beats me," Kakashi says with a smile.

We open the door of the office and see the Kage and other ninja inside.

"Kakashi, Denizu, come here," Lady Tsunade says.

Kakashi and I walk over to her and see that she is digging into a box of supplies. She pulls out two navy blue headbands and holds them out to us.

"Here. These are the new headbands we are wearing," Lady Tsunade says. "They represent us as the Allied Shinobi Nations."

"Oh, so that was the surprise," Kakashi says as he grabs a headband and ties it around his forehead, pulling the cloth part over his left eye.

"You'll need a jonin vest, Denizu," Lady Tsunade says as she hands me a headband and a vest. "You'll be able to carry more weapons and supplies with one."

I nod in comprehension, take the vest, and put it on. I then take the headband from her and observe it for a moment. Coming to a conclusion, I take the headband and tie it around my forehead. Kakashi sees this and is surprised.

"You hate wearing it there," Kakashi says in surprise.

"I feel that I should represent the Allied Shinobi Nations by wearing it the traditional way," I say with a determined smile. "I'm wearing it with pride."

Kakashi and Lady Tsunade smile and comprehend.

"It's time to announce the captains and units," Lady Tsunade says as she motions for us to follow her.

We walk over to the table where we see Shikaku holding a piece of paper. All of the Kage and other shinobi in the room gather around to listen.

"All of the shinobi are ready in their places and are waiting to see their appointed captains," Shikaku says. "There are roughly 80,000 shinobi. The main regiment is made up of five units, each specializing in warfare. The First Company: Mid-Range Battle Unit, compromised of shinobi who excel in mid-distance combat. Made up mostly of shinobi who are weapons users. The Second Company: Close-Range Battle Unit, specializes in close combat. The shinobi of this unit will be fighting on the front lines. The Third Company: Intermediate-Range Battle Unit will be stationed to provide support up close and at mid-range. The Fourth Company: Long Range-Battle Unit; this unit will provide the link with the Intel Unit to support the front lines. And finally, the Fifth Company: Special Range Battle Unit, with their specialized jutsu and attack tactics."

'Wow, nicely done, Shikaku,' I think with a smile.

"The captain of the First Company, known as the Raikage's right-hand man, Darui of the Hidden Cloud."

Darui walks forward and nods.

"The captain of the Second Company, Kitsuchi of the Hidden Rock," Shikaku continues.

A tall, heavy built man wearing the colors of the Hidden Rock walks forward and nods.

"The captain of the Third Company is Kakashi."

Kakashi steps forward and nods.

"The captain of the Fifth Company is General Mifune of the Land of Iron."

An older man of age steps forward and nods.

"And the Commander-in-Chief of all the battle units, Gaara, the Kazekage."

Gaara steps forward and nods.

"Thank you, Shikaku," Gaara says. "Your tactical skills and organization are much appreciated."

Shikaku nods with an appreciative smile. He then turns to me and walks over.

"Denizu, I will assign you in the Fifth Company with General Mifune," Shikaku says. "You have abilities that match the criteria in this unit, and you'd be an awful lot of assistance."

"Yes, Shikaku," I say with a nod.

"Please report outside with your unit so that the captains can be announce to everyone."

With that, Shikaku waves goodbye and walks over to Mifune and begins to tell him that I am the new addition to his team.

"Can we talk for just a sec?" Kakashi says to me as he gently puts a hand on my arm.

I nod and we head out of the room, into the hallway.

"Yes, Kakashi?" I say, turning to him.

Before anything else, I am surprised at his sudden embrace. I return his hug and place my forehead on his shoulder, closing my eyes.

"Looks like we're going to be on our own," Kakashi says as we break away a bit.

"Not really," I say.

"Hm?"

"We'll be in each other's hearts, fighting through this – together," I say with a warm smile.

Kakashi is a bit surprised by my statement, but then smiles warmly. With that, I lean into his face and give him a quick peck through his mask and caress his face.

"You'll make a great captain," I say to him with a reassuring smile.

He takes this as inspiration and holds my hand.

"Thank you, Denizu," Kakashi says with an appreciative smile.

"Well, we got places to be, now!" I say to him with a wink and smile.

After that, I teleport outside of the Raikage's headquarters. There, I see the thousands of shinobi from all the nations grouped in the five different units Shikaku organized. I look around and search for the Fifth Company and immediately approach a man with colors of the Cloud Village who has a clipboard.

"Excuse me," I say walking up to him. "I'm a newly assigned kunoichi in the Fifth Company by Shikaku Nara."

"Name?"

"Denizu Uchiha."

"So you're the one many people have spread rumors about!" the man says excitedly.

"Rumors?" I say with a confused look and sweat drop.

"Oh, no! Not in a bad way!" the man apologizes with a smile. "There's been a lot of commotion about there being an Uchiha; I didn't get the details of you being a woman."

"It's fine!" I say with a smile.

"Um, oh yes! So you can just line up in the second row," he says as he leads me over there.

"Thank you!" I say with an appreciative smile.

"You're welcome," he says. "You know, it sure is nice to know that an Uchiha has chosen to be on our side."

I give him a surprised look but then smile warmly at him. He returns the look.

"Captains!" we hear someone yell.

We turn our attention to the top of the Raikage's headquarters and see five familiar figures. From left to right, it is Darui, Kitsuchi, Gaara, Kakashi, and Mifune. They approach the edge of the platform to look down at all of us 80,000 shinobi that they will lead. After a few moments, everyone begins to cheer wildly at their captains, waving their hands, weapons, or whatever they have to show their excitement. I gaze up at Kakashi and see that he looking down at everyone with a confident and determined look.

'You're going to be great, Kakashi,' I say while gazing at him with a warm smile.

"Denizu sensei!" I hear someone call out to me.

I turn to my right in surprise and see Kiba waving me to walk over to their place. With him are Ino and Shino.

"Hey there, Kiba and Shino," I say with a wave as I walk over to them.

"So you're the Uchiha everyone is talking about," a woman next to Kiba says.

I feel myself twitch a bit at having heard this same comment again.

"Yes, Denizu Uchiha! That's me!" I say with a smile and sweat drop.

"This is my mother," Kiba says gesturing to the woman who had just made the comment.

"Tsume Inuzuka," the woman says as she shakes my hand with a smile. "I'm glad to finally meet you."

"It's a pleasure," I say.

"Kiba also mentioned that you're Kakashi Hatake's woman," Tsume adds.

I feel myself twitch again with a smile of shyness.

"Well, there's no point in hiding that, is there?" I say with a sweat drop and smile as I rub the back of my head.

They all chuckle at my remark. Out of nowhere, we hear a commotion from around us between many of the shinobi. We look around and see that arguing has ensued among many.

"What the hell is going on?" Kiba asks as he looks around.

"It appears that people are dealing with the troubles the villages have had in the past," I say as I spot two men beginning to quarrel. "The trust level among one another isn't where we want it to be. It's difficult for us to maintain control of our reputation and pride of one another's village."

"Now is certainly not the time to deal with that," Shino comments in annoyance.

"In the name of gain and profit for one's nation and village…" someone says from afar in the area in which our captains are standing.

Everyone stops arguing with one another and looks up. It's Gaara who has spoken.

"Shinobi have hated and hurt each other for many years, from the First to the Great Ninja Wars," Gaara continues. "That hatred cried out for power, and thus, I was born."

Everyone continues to be silent and listens.

"In the past, I too was hatred and power…" Gaara continues. "I was a Jinchuriki. And I hated this world and the humans in it and thought about destroying them. This s exactly what the Akatsuki is trying to do now. However, a single shinobi from the Hidden Leaf stopped me… He cried for me, his enemy! We wounded each other in battle but he called me his friend – he saved me! We were enemies, but we were both Jinchuriki. When we share and experience the same pain, there can be no bad blood. No one's an enemy here… because we all bear the pain of having been hurt by the Akatsuki. The Sand, The Stone, The Leaf, The Mist, The Cloud are no more. Now there is only shinobi!"

Everyone is surprised and stunned at Gaara's remark.

"If you still cannot forgive the Sand," Gaara continues. "After this war is over, you can have my head! The enemy is now after my friend who saved me. If he falls into enemy hands, this world is finished. I want to protect my friend, and I want to protect this world!"

'So he _is_ speaking of Naruto…' I think to myself as I gaze at him in awe.

"But I am much too young, too inexperienced to protect this world! So I beg you all to lend me your strength!" Gaara says with spirit.

The crowd begins to cheer and show support.

"You got it, Lord Gaara!" I hear someone yell.

"So now we're all comrades," Kiba says. "It's a nuisance, but I guess we have to learn all their scents!"

"The reputation of the Inuzuka nose is on the line," Tsume says to him as she gestures to her nose.

I chuckle and smile at hearing them.

"All who feel as I do, follow me!" Gaara says loudly.

This causes a huge uproar of everyone in excitement and spirit. I stare up at Gaara with an admirable gaze.

'I can tell Naruto has influenced you…' I think to myself about Gaara. 'And you are fit for this position, Gaara.'

I smile up at him with determination as the crowd continues to cheer. With that, Gaara begins to lead all five units with the rest of the captains. Everyone follows behind as we all sprint with them, ready to begin and win the war.


	27. Filler 1 Heartwarming Surprise

This is a filler for my story. I'm going to be basing a bit of the actual series in terms of the war and stuff into my story. Because I'm waiting on an episode where my Fifth Company is shown more in action, I'll be doing fillers whenever needed. They will give a better sense of my character's past and hopefully more entertainment. Enjoy!

_Takes place over 16 years ago…._

I'm walking along a river late in the afternoon. Just not too long ago I finished some of my daily training that consisted of target and jutsu practice.

'It's a calm day today…' I think to myself as I crouch down in front of the stream of water.

I stare into my reflection, gazing into my black eyes. A small, shiny lime green fish swims into my reflection under the water. I watch as it swims by over the many pebbles at the bottom of the stream. My gaze turns to a pebble next to me on the grass and I grab it. I look into the water again and hold up the pebble in my hand over the water and drop it. The ripples cause my reflection to distort, and once the water calms down, I see the reflection of someone familiar behind me.

"You're finished with your training early, Kakashi," I say as still looking into the water.

"I wanted to check up on you," he answers still standing behind me. "I noticed you weren't at the training grounds as usual."

"Oh, yeah… I seem to have gotten distracted," I say turning to him with a smile and sweat drop.

"Don't you have anything important to do today?" he asks as he sits down next to me.

"Not that I know of…" I say gazing thoughtfully into the water. "…Do I?"

"Never mind that," Kakashi says interrupting my thinking. "Let's go for a walk, shall we?"

"Uh, okay…" I say a bit puzzled at his quick request.

We stand up and begin to head back toward the village at a nice pace through the forest.

"Today's seems like a slow, boring day…" I say as I spot a squirrel run along a branch of a tree.

"It doesn't seem like that to me," Kakashi says with a slight chuckle. "It may seem like that to you since you've been awfully busy with your training and some missions."

"Oh yeah… Hmm…" I say as I stop walking for a moment.

"What's the matter?" Kakashi says as he stops.

"For some reason…" I say with a very pensive face. "I feel that today is something I should know about…"

Kakashi is a bit alarmed and thinks quickly.

"Uh, Uh, maybe you're just confused about something," he says. "It's probably nothing, really."

"Hmmm…" I say staring at him suspiciously.

Kakashi smiles nervously with a sweat drop as I stare him down.

"You're probably right!" I finally say, causing Kakashi to sigh quietly in relief. "I should go home to check up on my grandmother."

Kakashi panics a bit at hearing my words.

"Um, I'm sure she's fine! She's probably taking a nap or something!" Kakashi says as he attempts to block me from walking away. "She's quite delicate at her age and needs to rest, you know."

"Nonsense, Kakashi! She's rather up and busy at this time," I say as I move him aside.

Kakashi quickly thinks for a moment.

"Now that I remember!" he says as he steps in front of me. "I have a new training technique!"

"You do?" I ask in surprise.

"Yeah, uhh, it's pretty helpful and works very well!"

"Well, what is it?"

Kakashi gazes around the area for a bit and spots a squirrel on a tree branch.

"You chase squirrels!" he says.

I look at him with a raised eye brow.

"Chasing squirrels?" I ask a bit puzzled.

"Yup, that's it," Kakashi says with a sweat drop and crosses his arms. "It helps improve speed and ability. The challenge is NOT using any sort of jutsu or special ability. It'll help you not to rely on any special abilities when you can't use them."

I stare at Kakashi again with a pensive and suspicious look. He smiles nervously through his mask with a sweat drop, hoping to convince me.

"Sounds like fun!" I say excitedly.

Kakashi looks at me in surprise.

"Let's begin, shall we? Look! There's one on the tree branch!" I say as I point up ahead. "GET IT!"

The squirrel is surprised at my tone of voice and is frightened to see me climbing up the tree.

'She can be as gullible as Guy…' Kakashi thinks to himself with a sweat drop as he watches me hunt the squirrel down.

"Quick, Kakashi! There's another one over there!" I say to him as I point to a bush.

'Now I must go on with it,' Kakashi thinks to himself with a sigh.

He runs quickly over to the squirrel.

We've been chasing squirrels for about five minutes and have almost caught a few.

"This is a fun exercise," I say to Kakashi after letting a squirrel go. "But what if we take it a step further?"

"Hm?" Kakashi says.

"How about we…use camouflage disguises!"

Kakashi is surprised.

"Let's make ourselves bushes!" I say as I run for a bush.

Kakashi looks at me with a sweat drop.

"They'll never see it coming…" I say as I hide inside a bush.

Kakashi stares at me for a bit and then chuckles.

"I've found mine!" he says as he jumps into a bush not too far from mine.

I poke my head out of the bush with a childish smile at Kakashi as he pokes his head out too.

"Let the hunt BEGIN!" I say as I stick my head back into the bush and begin to walk away in it.

Kakashi does the same and follows behind me.

After what seemed a good hour or so, we've ambushed many squirrels using our bush camouflage disguises. We are now stalking a squirrel near the edge of hill that leads down a long slope. I am staring at the squirrel carefully through the leaves of my bush disguise. Kakashi is also watching the squirrel carefully as it nibbles on an acorn near the edge of the hill. I turn my gaze at Kakashi and he turns to meet it. We give each other a nod as a signal to move in. The both of us creep in very slowly as the squirrel does not take notice. Once we're at a good distance, Kakashi and I go for the pounce. We both leap forward toward the squirrel, but it quickly evades our ambush, almost as if it knew what we were going to do. Kakashi and I are a bit puzzled as we keep our gaze at the squirrel, not paying attention to where we're leaping forward to. We quickly turn forward and see that we are falling down the steep slope of the hill. Kakashi and I go wide-eyed in panic but end up rolling down. The leaves of our bush disguises fly everywhere as we comically tumble down the steep slope. Kakashi and I end up tangled on one another at the bottom of the slope, in what's left of our bush disguises. I am lying across his stomach as I spit a few leaves out of my mouth. Our hair is messy with leaves and twigs tangled up in it.

"So much for our brilliant disguise," Kakashi says as he picks a twig out of his hair.

I chuckle at his remark as I push myself off him. We stand up and begin to brush the dirt, leaves, and twigs from our hair and clothing.

"I bet Guy would have really loved this exercise," I say while flicking a little twig away. "Hey! Why don't we invite him? I'm sure he'd love to come!"

Kakashi again panics a bit and thinks quickly.

"Uh, well, uh, I had checked up on him before meeting you," Kakashi begins to explain. "He's busy doing something for his family and could not be disturbed. You know how serious Guy is with stuff like that!"

Kakashi nervously chuckles with a sweat drop as he rubs the back of his neck.

"Hmmm…. That reminds me…" I say looking down at the ground. "I still feel that today is a significant day…"

Kakashi panics a bit as I think carefully.

"I think we should walk around the village for a while," I finally say. "All this hunting of squirrels has made me a bit thirsty."

"Yeah, I feel the same," Kakashi says.

"Let's go have some of my grandmother's iced tea!" I say as I turn to walk.

"Uh, no!" Kakashi exclaims as he takes a hold of my shoulder.

I turn to him with a questionable look.

"I mean…I want to treat you to some tea!" Kakashi says nervously. "It's been a while since we've had some tea."

"You're not much of a tea drinker…" I say.

"Well, I'm treating you to some," he says with a sweat drop and smile. "Come on, let's head out to the tea parlor. They have a tea I want you to try!"

With that, Kakashi takes a hold of my arm and begins to lead me away.

After some while, Kakashi and I have arrived at the tea parlor. He made sure we go straight there without any distractions. Kakashi is now leading me to the back of the tea parlor. He sits me down at a small table and then sits himself across from me.

"You're acting as if you're escorting me on a mission," I say to Kakashi as I watch him look around carefully.

"What? No, no, I'm just…" he begins to explain. "I'm just trying to make sure we have some alone time for once."

I stare at him with a blank look as he nervously chuckles with sweat drop. I decided to shrug it off.

"So what's this tea you wanted me to try?" I ask Kakashi.

Kakashi is a bit surprised and thinks.

'I don't know any interesting ones…' Kakashi thinks to himself. 'I'll just have to be slick about it…'

Kakashi turns to the elderly woman of the tea parlor and signals her over.

"Yes, my dear?" she asks Kakashi.

Kakashi leans into her ear and whispers something. I stare with a blank look at Kakashi as the elderly woman smiles and nods.

"I'll be back with your tea," the elderly woman says as she walks away.

"Why can't you just tell me the tea?" I ask Kakashi.

"It wouldn't be a surprise!" Kakashi says.

"Ah, yes, of course!" I say with an excited smile.

'I feel so pathetic after whispering to the elderly woman to bring her the best cheapest tea….' Kakashi thinks to himself as he smiles nervously at me. 'I don't have much money on me so it was the best I could do right now…'

The elderly woman arrives with the cup of tea and places it in front of me. I thank her as Kakashi quickly pays for it.

"Mmm….this tea is rather good!" I say after sipping from the cup.

"I was hoping you would like it," Kakashi says with a smile.

"Too bad it's only a cup," I say after jugging down the whole cup of tea.

'I didn't expect her to drink it _that_ quickly…' Kakashi thinks in a panic. 'Well, I _did_ only pay for a cup…'

"I want to go for a walk now," I say as I stand up from my seat.

"Uh, okay, sure," Kakashi says after quickly standing up from his seat. "A stroll wouldn't hurt."

With that, Kakashi leads me out of the tea parlor. He walks out first and looks around. I eye him for a bit, wondering what he's doing. Kakashi then turns his attention to a gift store and sees Guy, Kurenai, and Asuma walking out with bags of presents inside. Kakashi panics immediately and turns to me.

"Let's go check out the children's store!" Kakashi says as he quickly turns me to another direction.

"Children's store? What for?" I ask him in confusion.

I turn a bit over his shoulder and from the corner of my eye, I see what looks like Guy.

"Hey, is that Guy?" I say as I escape Kakashi's grasp, causing him to panic.

"Hey! Guy!" I say as I attempt to call him through the crowd of people.

Guy hears his name and Asuma and Kurenai also notice this. They see me through the crowd tying to look for Guy, as well as Kakashi trying to distract me.

"Ah! She's on to us!" Guy says in a panic.

Kurenai quickly looks to her left at a clothing store.

"Quick! Go inside and disguise yourself!" Kurenai says as she takes the presents from him. "She hasn't seen me or Asuma yet. We'll take these gifts while you go disguise yourself!"

"Got it!" Guy says with a nod.

Guy quickly runs into the store as Kurenai and Asuma run away with the bags of gifts into an alley.

"I swear I saw Guy…" I say to Kakashi as I continue to walk through the crowd of people.

"You were probably mistaken," Kakashi says as he tries to stop me.

"Who else wears that green outfit?"

We manage to reach the front of the clothing store I saw Guy near. I look around and see that there's no sign of Guy anywhere. Kakashi looks around nervously.

"I swear I saw him…." I say as I look around. "Maybe he's inside the store!"

I walk into the store with a panicking Kakashi following behind me. I roam around the small clothing store until I see a short elderly woman standing near the dressing room with her back facing me.

"Excuse me, ma'am, have you seen…" I say to her as I pat her shoulder.

I am surprised when she turns around. Her short black, shiny hair is covered with a pink hat. She's wearing a dark green sweater with short grey shorts as she holds her large beige purse. I am a bit taken aback from the over use of make-up on her face: lavender eye shadow, poorly applied mascara and eye liner that is smudged over and eyes her eyes, over application of pink blush, and smudged bright red lip stick. Kakashi shutters behind me in horror as he stares at the so called woman with wide eyes.

'Guy?' Kakashi thinks to himself in disbelief.

The old woman looks at me with a blank look as I back away a little. I stare at her with carefully with pensive eyes, studying her appearance. Kakashi is worried and tries not to panic.

"I'm…I'm sorry, ma'am…" I finally say with a smile and sweat drop.

Kakashi shakes his head and looks at me in disbelief.

"I thought you were someone I know," I say in an apologizing tone.

'She really can't see through that?' Kakashi says, slumping over with a sweat drop.

"Umm…" Guy says in confusion.

Kakashi looks at him from behind me and signals for him to go along with it.

"Uhh, no!" Guy says changing his voice as close to an elderly woman's. "Do not worry, my sweet heart. No harm done!"

Guy continues to stand there, smiling awkwardly at me. Kakashi signals for to leave quickly.

"Well, uh, I really must me going now!" Guy says as he tries to walk in some purple high heels. "I have many children to feed!"

With that, Guy nearly stumbles out of the store. I stare in confusion and a raised eye brow as Kakashi is behind me sighing in relief.

"You'd think she would wear shoes with no heels…" I say quietly.

'If they've gotten the presents…' Kakashi thinks to himself. 'They must be finished setting up or close to it.'

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think she was Guy's grandmother!" I chuckle lightly.

Kakashi is surprised but laughs.

"How about we take a nice walk around the area and then head back to your place?" he offers with a friendly smile.

"That sounds great," I reply, returning the smile.

Kakashi and I head out of the clothing store and stroll down the block.

"You know, Kakashi…" I say as I look down at the ground.

"Hm?"

"I had a dream last night…" I continue. "A dream that scared me…"

Kakashi stares at me intently and listens.

"I was with my parents and I was younger, about three or four years old… It was a normal day at the park. As I slid down the slide to leave with them, I looked up and saw them smiling as they waited for me. I happily ran to them…but the more I ran, the farther they went…slowly being consumed in darkness. I yelled and yelled for them to come back, to stay with me…But they were gone, leaving me alone in the darkness… I cried and cried at the feeling of being all alone…"

Kakashi stares at me with sadness in his eyes.

"Something happened after that moment of being alone, but I can't remember what happened," I say looking up.

Kakashi is about to put my hand on my shoulder and say words of consolation, but is inteerupted.

"Hey! Denizu! Kakashi!" we hear someone call out to us from behind.

Kakashi and I turn to see Kurenai and Asuma running toward us.

"Hey guys! I haven't seen you all day!" I say with a smile.

"Come on! We have to take you somewhere!" Kurenai says as she takes me hand.

I am confused but let her pull me as the four of us begin to run down the block.

"Wait, where are we going?" I ask in confusion as we continue to run.

"You'll see soon enough!" Asuma replies with a smile.

I turn to Kakashi with a questionable look and he just smiles. After a while of running, we arrive at my home. We stop in front, staring at the dark house with no lights on inside.

"It's my house…" I say looking up at it with a blank look. "What about it?"

"Why don't you walk in and see?" Kurenai says with a smile as she leads me up the porch steps to the front door.

I am still puzzled as the three of them stand close behind me. I reach for the handle and open the door, staring into the pitch black darkness. After a few seconds, I wince at the sudden sight of bright light.

"Surprise!" I hear a whole room of people say from inside.

I open my eyes and see my group of friends and grandmother, and even Minato sensei. Confetti is falling all over the place. A banner is hanging from the ceiling with colorful decorations as it reads, "Happy Birthday Denizu!" I stare blankly in complete astonishment.

"Happy birthday, Denizu!" Minato sensei says with a smile as he walks forward and rubs the top of my head with his hand. "You're now nine years old. Still in the single digits, but hey, just one more year."

I look around with the same shocked expression as I notice presents set up on the coffee table in the middle of the living room.

"Look at how surprised she is!" I hear Obito say, making Rin giggle.

"Happy birthday, little sister!" Kurenai says from behind as she hugs me as Asuma also messes up my hair with a smile.

I turn my surprised attention to my right and see the same old lady from the clothing store walking up to me.

"Happy birthday, Denizu!" she says.

I stare at her in confusion.

"Enough with the act, Guy!" Kakashi says as he takes the hat of his head. "You're terrifying."

"Wait…" I say with wide eyes. "Guy? It was _you_?!"

Everyone begins to laugh at my reaction. My grandmother walks up to me and gives me a gentle and loving hug.

"Happy birthday, Denizu," she says with a loving smile. "I'm sure your parents are with you at heart today and always will be."

I stare up at her in surprise and smile.

"Now, let's get everyone to the kitchen for some cake," she says with a smile.

I nod with a smile and she carefully moves her delicate self toward the kitchen.

"Yeah, some cake!" Obito cheers in excitement.

"Oh, how long it's been since I've tasted one of your cakes, Yuriko," Minato sensei says to my grandmother with a sheepish smile as he accompanies her to the kitchen.

"It was just yesterday you had some of my cupcakes, Minato," my grandmother says with a chuckle. "I'll be packing some cake for Kushina. I'd better hear from her that you gave it to her!"

Minato sensei laughs while rubbing the back of his head as he and my grandmother walk into the hallway to the kitchen.

"Come on, Denizu!" Kurenai says as she gestures me to follow her and the rest to the kitchen.

"Sure, I'll be there in a bit…" I say with a smile.

Asuma playfully pushes Kurenai and runs into the kitchen with her. Guy smiles sheepishly as he puts his pink hat back on and follows them. I stand there in deep thought, sinking everything in.

"Are you all right, Denizu?" Kakashi says as he walks up next to me.

"I'm fine, it's just that…" I say as I smile happily. "I just remembered the end of my dream."

"You did?" Kakashi asks in surprise. "Well, how did it end?"

"Out from the darkness behind me as I cried…a light began to appear. I turned around to see all of you there…you, my grandmother, Minato sensei, Kurenai, Guy, Asuma, Obito, Rin…All of you smiling at me… The light consumed the darkness as I stood up, smiled back, and walked forward to you all."

Kakashi smiles warmly at me as I finish describing my dream.

"I'm happy to have all of you there for me," I say to Kakashi with a cheesy smile.

Kakashi chuckles lightly and leans toward my cheek, planting a light kiss on it.

"Happy birthday, Denizu," he says trying to ignore the blushing on the visible part of his face.

I stare blankly at him but then smile.

"Denizu! Come and cut the cake!" I hear my grandmother call to me.

"Come on, Kashi," I say poking his nose playfully. "Let's go get some cake!"


End file.
